


Clash of the Sith Lords

by Grubkiller19



Series: Rise of the Empire [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 02:37:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 47,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17972873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grubkiller19/pseuds/Grubkiller19
Summary: While hunting down Darth Maul at the height of the Clone Wars, the CIS make a discovery in uncharted space. They find a remnant of the Old Sith Empire, which has been in exile for nearly 1000 years. When Maul forms an alliance with the exiled Sith Empress, who openly challenges Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord sends his minions to put an end to her rule, and his former apprentice.





	1. Can't Keep a Bad Sith Down

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks, Grubkiller here.
> 
> This is the 2nd story in my 'Rise of the Empire' series. It will focus on Darth Maul, who makes an incredible discovery, while on the run from his former master.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Clone Wars. So please, don't sue me.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Clone Wars theme plays.

* * *

_INTO THE ABYSS! DARTH MAUL HAS CONSTRUCTED A VAST CRIMINAL SYNDICATE KNOWN AS THE SHADOW COLLECTIVE, GATHERING THE GALAXY'S MOST FEARED CRIME LORDS. THE BLACK SUN, THE PYKES, AND EVEN THE MIGHTY HUTTS HAVE ALL FALLEN IN LINE BEHIND THE DARK WARRIOR._

_BUILDING A BASE OF OPERATIONS ON THE CORRUPT PLANET OF MANDALORE, MAUL PLOTTED REVENGE AGAINST HIS MANY ENEMIES. BUT MAUL'S LUST FOR POWER AND CONQUEST HAS DRAWN A GREAT ENEMY UPON HIM—HIS FORMER MASTER, DARTH SIDIOUS._

_JUDGING MAUL A THREAT TO HIS OWN DESIGNS, SIDIOUS DEFEATED HIS FORMER APPRENTICE, RUTHLESSLY MURDERING MAUL'S BROTHER SAVAGE OPRESS AND LEAVING MAUL BEATEN BUT, CURIOUSLY, STILL ALIVE…_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Undisclosed location in the Outer Rim_.

Stygeon Prime.

An mountainous ice planet out in the middle of no where, it was home to a large spire, which served as a prison. Heavily guarded by the Separatist Droid Army, it was known only to a few.

As a heavy blizzard blew snow across the surface, deep inside the gray metal corridors of the Spire, a pair of Super Battle Droids stood guard outside one of the many prison cells. In that same cell, a hooded figure was interrogating a red and black Zabrak, who was suspended by an energy field.

The prisoner panted, as if he was struggling to breath. Then he spoke in a strained, yet visibly enraged, voice.

"It would be wise to kill me," he growled.

The hooded figure merely sneered in response. "Do not mistake the fact that I have allowed you to live for compassion, my _former_ apprentice," Sidious said.

"There is a purpose for everything in the galaxy..." Maul said, "...and a way to destroy it."

Darth Sidious began to chuckle in a low, yet maniacal tone as he placed his hands together. "I see you remember your lessons." He said, somewhat impressed, and amused at the same time.

That's when he felt a familiar presence approaching, just before the door opened with a hiss. None other than Count Dooku walked through the door, who gave a slight bow of his head in the presence of Darth Sidious.

"You summoned me, Master?" He asked.

"Ah, yes. Heheheheh, my Appreantice," he said, making sure to emphasize that little detail right in front of Dooku's captive predecessor. "Come, Count Dooku - Let us leave here. We have much to discuss," he said, turning is back on Maul to leave the cell, with Dooku close behind.

Just before the door to the cell closed, Maul watched them leave, his orange eyes filled with rage and hatred.

"Dooku..."

* * *

Darth Sidous and Count Dooku walked through the corridors of the prison, where they carried their conversation with them.

"There are many forces poised against us. To ensure our complete and total victory, we must root out and destroy _all_ of our enemies." Sidious said.

Dooku was somewhat puzzled by what his master was suggesting. "You speak of enemies other than the Jedi?"

Sidious looked off to the side to look at his apprentice. "I speak of that Dathomir Witch - Mother Talzin," he said.

Dooku arched one eyebrow over the other. A sign that he was definitely taken aback. "The reports from General Grievous suggests that she was killed when he invaded Dathomir." He explained, pointing out the hole that he thought he discovered in his master's logic.

"The fact that Maul lives is proof enough that he failed to kill her," Darth Sidious shot back. "My history with the Dathomir witches goes back further than you know." He said, before he started to think back to when Sidious and Talzin first met, when Maul was a child. Darth Plageius, Sidious' master, was actually still alive back then. "Maul came to me as a child - a not-so-appreciated gift from Mother Talzin." Her spite for me runs deep..." Sidious said as the door in front of them opened up. Cold wind blew into the door, hitting their faces with a bitter chill as they walked out onto the landing pad, where a shuttle was docked, guarded by battle droids. "...and the time has come for me to deal with her."

"What would you have me do?" Dooku asked as they walked towards the shuttle.

"Maul has used the underworld to form a base of power. Find out what you can. In the end, we shall use Maul to lead us to Talzin." he said as he walked up the ramp, while Dooku stayed on the pad.

"Why not simply send our armies to Dathomir?" He asked.

Sidious stopped when he was halfway up the ramp, and turned his head over his shoulder to look at his apprentice. "Because such methods cannot defeat a witch that powerful. She must be coaxed into the light, before she is permanently snuffed out."

Dooku nodded his head and bowed it slightly, as Sidious walked onto the ship as it was taking off, leaving the Count to stay behind and carry out his master's will.

* * *

On the other side of the prison, a pair of commando droids stood guard on an icy balcony, looking out over the mountainous surface before them. The wind continued to hwl, as snow was blown past them, greatly obscuring their field of vision.

They were completely oblivious to what was happening behind them. A pair of hands reached up behind one droid, before grabbing his neck. The droid's head was ripped out of its sockets, causing wires to swing and sparks to spit out everywhere.

The other droid looked behind him to see a Mandalorian warrior, with red and black armor and with horns on top of his helmet, holding the head of his dead counterpart. He raised his rifle to deal with this new threat, only to be kicked over the icy railing by a second mandalorian, a petite female with burgundy armor, and sent to plummet to the snow covered rocks below.

When the coast was clear, one of the warrior's comm device start to blink and chirp. The male warrior with the horned helmet reached for his device and answered it. A hologram of a blond-haired man emitted from the small holo-projector.

" _Commander Saxon. What is your status_?" The man asked.

"We tracked the ship carrying Maul to Stygeon. Our scans show that he's being held on level seven." The Mandalorian said.

" _Proceed with your extraction. Once you have him, rendezvous with our forces on Zanbar._ " The holographic figure ordered.

"It shall be done," Saxon said before he cut the transmission, and put his comm device away. Then the two super commandoes proceeded with their rescue mission.

* * *

Back inside the spire, in maul's cell, Dooku was interrogating his disgraced predecessor.

"The Hutts have abandoned you, but Black Sun and the Pykes remain loyal," Dooku said, "I want your resources and your sway over the black market."

But Maul didn't answer. He merely deflected the question by asking his own, in a weak and strained voice. "You are Dooku - the Jedi betrayer? I have heard much about you since my rebirth..." he said, "I expected more."

Dooku scowled at Maul, somewhat insulted, but he continued the interrogation. "I'll ask this only once. Give me the names of your underworld leaders and the locations of your Shadow Collective bases."

"Never," Maul hissed. That's when Dooku unleashed a arc of blue Sith lightning on Maul, enveloping him in pain that that made him scream in agony. "NNNGGGAAARRRRGH!"

When Dooku stopped, Maul began to pant heavily. Smoke poured off of his skin from being burned.

"Know that there is nothing that you possess that I cannot take away," Dooku said before he turned away to walk out the door, "I hope our next conversation will be more fruitful."

The door closed behind Dooku, leaving Maul to skulk away in his hopelessness.

* * *

Deep inside the fortress, Gar Saxon and Rook Kast were setting charges on one of the power generators on level three.

"Charges planeted," Kast said as she tapped a few keys on her wrist device, linking into the bomb she placed.

Saxon stood behind a wall with her. "Then light 'em up, Kast." He ordered.

She nodded before pressing the detonation key.

The bombs they placed started to beep rapidly. A couple battle droids walked up to them to investigate. They looked at each other, confused. That's when the charges went off, causing the generator, and the two droids, to explode.

All across level three, lights and circuits dimmed out, and the locks on several prison cells deactivated. Cell doors opened, and dozens of prisoners rushed out of their cells, overwhelming the droid guards, who fought desperately to contain the ensuing riot.

"Surrender, prisoners. By order of the Separatist Alliance, you are to return to your cells immediat-LLLEEEEEE!" The droid whined as his head was ripped off by one of the prisoners, who grabbed his rifle and joined the other prisoners in their riot.

The two mandalorians had their distraction. It was now on to level seven.

* * *

Count Dooku was in the command center when he heard a boom that rumbled throughout the facility, causing the floor to vibrate beneath his feet. He turned to one of the Droids in the room with him.

"Status Report!"

"Some kind of explosion on level three, Sir," a security droid said, "Alerting security and dispatching a fire crew now!"

"Sir," another droid called out, "Prisoners are escaping from the detention block in that same sector. I'll alert an additional security team." The droid finished as an alarm started to sound all throughout the facility.

As more droids scrambled to their stations, Dooku felt suspicion come over him. "Level three?" he asked, "Hmm. Send a group of Destroyer droids to level seven as well." he ordered, causing the droid officer to snap off a salute before he rushed to relay the Count's order, "If someone is attempting to infiltrate this prison, I have a feeling that's where their real real target lies".

* * *

As riot droids moved throughout level three, and locked down the surrounding sectors, they executed any prisoner that refused to return to their cells.

But level seven was where the real action was. Four Destroyer droids rolled out of the corner and unfolded in front of Maul's cell. A group of Super Battle Droids brought up the rear.

They stood guard, waiting for their prey to come to them.

Suddenly, a pair of bolas flew out of no where, before the balls opened up, unleashing a score of small EMP pellets, which fried the circuits of the SBDs, who collapsed to their knees and deactivated.

But the destroyers, being shielded, were unaffected, and began to turn towards the source of the bolas, which was a pair of Mandalorian super commandoes, who charged at them

"Your turn Kast. Take 'em down!" Saxon ordered.

Kast pressed a button on her wrist device, before she bent over. A small rocket launched from her jetpack and flew towards the floor beneath the four destroyers. They all exploded before they even had a chance to fire on the two commandoes.

Saxon rush up to the cell door. He ripped the panel off and then ripped a handful of wires out. Then the door opened. He walked in and fired on the gravity generator that created the field that suspended Maul, who fell to the ground on his knees when he landed.

The commander bent down to help him to his feet.

"Lord Maul, we're going to get you out of here. Can you walk?" Saxon asked.

"I have become indifferent to pain," Maul said as he brushed Saxon away, and got up on his own.

"Droids, incoming!" Last called out, before she began to open fire with her dual pistols on the incoming droids, who fired back. She ducked back inside the cell to avoid getting hit. "They'e still down the corridor."

"Then we have time," Saxon said before he fired down the other end of the corridor, to keep another group of droids distracted.

Maul ran out of the cell, but stayed in cover to avoid the crossfire from the two groups of SBDs and commando droids. "This was your plan?!" He asked.

"You might want to step back, Lord Maul," Saxon said before he bent over and fired his jetpack's missile at the wall.

_THOOM!_

The ensuing explosion blew out the wall, creating a hole for them to escape through. Saxon looked at a surprised Maul, and pointed to the hole he just made. "This was our plan." he said.

Rook Kast was aiming her pistols down either end of the corridor and firing away at the droids. Then she turned around and pointed her wrist into the fog covered surface and fired a cable with a hook at the end. When the hook disappeared into the fog below, before she detached the cable from her wrist and attached it to the ceiling above her.

Saxon tossed Maul his rifle, who used it to rappel down the cable, while the two commandoes jumped out of the hole and activated their jetpacks midair to rocket off into the fog below.

Back in the tower, the droids looked down into the fog, not knowing what they should do next.

"Should we follow them?" An SBD asked.

The droids all answered.

"Negative."

"Negative."

"Negative."

"Definitely negative."

Suddenly, they heard the whine of an engine. Then they all saw an orange glow appear in the blizzard. When it got closer, they saw what appeared to be a Mandalorian gauntlet fighter. It hovered in front of the droids, who were all suddenly doused in a bright light that came from the fight. They then saw a pair of cannons arm themselves.

"Uh-oh." One of the droids said.

That's when the Mandalorian ship unleashed a barrage of blaster fire that wiped out the corridor and everyone in it. When it was done, the ship's wings downward until they pointed forward, and then the ship flew off into the atmosphere, leaving the frozen hellhole behind.

A single droid, missing an arm and both legs, and sparking badly, reached for his comm.

"Um... bzzk," the droid said before he spoke in a staticky voice, "...it looks like the prisoner has... 'BZZK'... escaped, Sir."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Later, aboard a Separatist Dreadnought, Grievous' flagship_.

Hyperspace.

An alternate dimension that could only be reached by traveling at or faster than the speed of light. Hyperdrives enabled starships to travel through hyperspace lanes across great distances, enabling travel and exploration throughout the galaxy.

At this moment, a Separatist fleet, consisting of Munificent-class star frigates, Recusant-class destroyers, and DH-Omni Support ships, were traveling through the blue tunnel of hyperspace, led by a Providence-class dreadnought, which served as the flagship for the dreaded commander of the droid army: General Grievous.

On the bridge of his flagship, Invisible Hand, the General was conversing with a hologram of his master Count Dooku.

" _Maul's ships has been tracked to the planet Zanbar..._ " the hologram of Dooku said, ". _..Direct your fleet there and engage him. He's had time to marshal his forces, so be ready._ "

Sitting in his command chair, the cyborg warrior leaned forward in his seat and groaned before he spoke. "You should have _killed_ Maul when you had him in your custody. I told you, he was _too dangerous_ to be kept alive."

_"Do not question the plans of my master,_ " Dooku shot back, raising his voice, " _Remember - you must hurt Maul, but not destroy him. Weaken his forces, injure his pride._ "

Grivous waved his hand, gesturing to his tactical droid to direct the fleet to Zanbar, before he continued speaking with Dooku. "What then, my lord?" Grievous asked.

_"Then he will do what any child would. He will cry for help"_.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Shadow Collective base, Zanbar_.

Zanbar.

A temperate world covered in swampy vegetation and rocky plateaus. It's been used by the Mandalorian terrorist group known as Death Watch for years, used to launch terror attacks on worlds in nearby Mandalorian space. Then it became the birthplace for Darth Maul's criminal syndicate, the Shadow Collective.

So it was the logical next stop for Darth maul after his escape.

After touching down, Maul and his two rescuers walked off of the ship to meet with his warriors, before Commander Saxon presented Maul with a transmission from Mandalore. It was Prime Minister Almec, the corrupt man who Maul chose to lead his puppet regime from Sun'dari.

"Prime Minister Almec." Maul said, somewhat surprised. "I have you to thank for securing my rescue?"

" _You released me from prison, Lord Maul. I am simply returning the favor._ " Almec said, as Gar Saxon reached for an object on his belt and handed it to Maul. _"We recovered the Dark Saber from the palace grounds after your capture on Mandalore._ "

Maul reached for the saber.

The Darksaber was an ancient and unique black-bladed lightsaber created by a man named Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order, over a thousand years ago. The weapon was kept in the Jedi Temple after Vizsla's passing, but members of House Vizsla stole the saber in a conflict with the Jedi and the Republic The Darksaber was passed down, generation to generation, by the Vizsla family, who held onto the weapon even after the pacifist ideals of the New Mandalorians replaced the warrior ways of Mandalore. The saber eventually made its way into the hands of Pre Visla, the leader of Death Watch, ho held it until his fall at the hands of Maul.

" _The Hutts may have left you, but Black Sun and the Pykes still remain loyal - as do we_ ," Almec said, " _What is your command, Lord Maul?_ "

Maul ignited the saber and raised it above his head for all to see.

"The war that you have waited your entire lives for is upon us, my brothers! Victory or Death!" He called out.

The assembled warriors raised their fists in the air and started chanting.

"VICTORY OR DEATH!"

"VICTORY OR DEATH!"

"VICTORY OR DEATH!"

Maul smiled. But then he heard a low rumbling noise boom out across the sky. He turned around and looked up, and could see a score of Separatist warships in the low atmosphere above. Red flashes dotted their hulls, and then hundreds of red lasers flew out of the sky, before slamming into the ground.

"We're under attack!" Rook Kast shouted, "Take cover!"

As warriors ducked for cover, Maul simply stood where he was and looked up at the sky, unamused.

Massive explosions blossomed across the surrounding terrain, causing massive fires and columns of smoke to ravage the swamp. Thousands of birds and animals ran away, trying to avoid the flames. More Separatist cannon lasts slammed into the camp itself, destroying several structures, and vaporing dozens of Mandalorian warriors.

When the bombardment finally subsided, and warriors began to pick through the debris and gather the wounded, Rook Kast ran up to Maul.

"Lord Maul. The Separatist have stopped firing, but they're sending dropships to the surface. They'll be hitting any minute." She warned.

Maul turned to her. "Unleash the might of the Shadow Collective upon them!" He ordered, clenching his fists in anger at what the Confederacy just did to his camp.

Rook nodded and ran off to relay the order.

Moments later several Anti-aircraft guns opened fired, unleashing a deadly barrage that blasted several droid fighters out of the sky. A few fighters crashed into one of the 'H'-shaped landing ships, depleting its shields. The Shadow Collective cannons that fired on this unshielded drop-ship and damaged it severely. One of its wings was sheered off by the heavy cannon blasts, causing it to lose balance and spin out of control, before crashing into the swampy surface, causing a powerful explosion.

But the other dropships, having shields, brushed off the blasts like they were nothing, before they pushed on to continue the assault.

* * *

_Separatist Landing craft, en route to the surface_.

Aboard the lead dropship, A super tactical droid named They-Zuka spoke to Grievous.

"The Mandalorians' heavy firepower is causing minor casualties, but they won't be enough to repel the rest of our forces." The droid informed.

"Good. Press the attack and deploy our infantry..." Grievous said, before he leaned over and raised a finger to emphasize his next point, "every last soldier."

Tey-Zuka nodded.

Grievous continued.

"We are not fighting clones this time. These are Mandalorian Warriors. Send in everything we have and let us hope that will be enough, because I can calculate with certainty, based on experience, the odds are stacked against us."

The tactical droid nodded and went to relay the orders.

Grievous leaned back and watched the holo-screen in front of him, just in time to see the first transports landing, deploying the first waves of droids to the surface.

* * *

_Shadow Collective base_.

The droid forces blasted their way through the wall protecting the camp's perimeter, allowing their forces to pour through the gap. droids marched out of the smoke and flames, and came face to face with Maul and his warriors.

Some used their rocket packs to fly over and strafe the droid ranks with blaster and rocket fire.

Others simply stayed on the ground to meet the droid face to face.

Maul was at the front lines in the center of it all, leading his warriors to victory. As the droids and Mandalorians blasted away at each other, Maul charged at the droids, deflecting a storm of fire from a group of destroyer droids. When he was close enough, he jumped high up into the air, over the arcs of fire that were being sent his way. Then he landed in the middle of a large gathering of droids. They were all surprised, and tried to turn around to fire on Maul. But it was too late. Using the force, he unleashed an energy blast that sent all the droids around him flying in all directions. Then he slashed away at the other droids around him, making short work of them with the Darksaber.

As he continued hacking the limbs off of any droid that got in his way, the wind kicked up around him, and he could here the whine of a large engine hovering nearby. After cutting through an SBD, he looked up and saw another CIS dropship. This was one was carrying his latest adversary.

"Maul!" Grievous called out from an open hatch on the dropship, "Your end is at hand."

Maul took up a defensive stance and prepared for what happened next.

Grievous gestured to his electro-staff wielding bodyguards. "Go soften him up a bit."

The guards did as they were ordered and jumped down, surrounding Maul, before they engaged him with their crackling energy staffs. They swung their staffs and clashed with the Zabrak's sword. Maul in turn began to parry their strikes, using the aggressive form VII fighting style to defend himself, while also lash out violently.

But despite his skill, this was far from an easy fight.

But it may still be a short one.

* * *

All across the camp, Mandalorian warriors continued to struggle against the droid army. Death Watch warriors continued to fly over the field, using their arsenal of weaponry to attack the droids.

Some used flamethrowers to burn out their circuits, while others used their rocket packs to launch missiles, wiping out more droids, and even taking out vulture droids. Others used their vambraces to deploy sonic blasts that blasted droids to the ground, and some even used their grappling hooks to string up the droids and trip them.

But alas, despite their valiant efforts, Death Watch was being overrun. The never-ending ranks of the droid army continued to pour through the camp, isolating scattered warriors, overwhelming them, and then finally executing them.

One Mandalorian warrior, who had spikes on his helmet, was using his blaster rifle to cut down any droid that he came across. He caught a glimpse of Lord Maul, fighting for his life against several magna-guards.

"You cowards!" He called out, before he started charging and blasting his way through several droids. But then he heard a massive thus behind him, followed by the clanking of mechanical limbs. He turned around and saw what looked to be a metal skelaton, who began to laugh maniacally.

* * *

Maul used the force to push one guard back, causing him to slide across the ground. Then, two of the other guards tried to attack him from behind. Maul ducked underneath their blows and slashed his blade through both of their torsos. The forth droid raised his staff over his head and tried to slam it down on top of Maul. But the Zabrak Sith sensed this and force jumped and flipped backwards over the droid, as he landed, he slashed his blade straight down the middle of the droid, cutting him cleanly in two.

As he stood over the destroyed guards, he growled when he saw a familiar figure entering the battle.

* * *

The Mandalorian commando continued to fire, trying to tag Grievous with a bolt of plasma. But Grievous continued to dodge the blasts.

"Too afraid to meet me face to face?" The warrior asked in a taunting manner, as Grievous continued to dodge his bolts.

Bu then the General started to zigzag towards the warrior, and when he was close enough, he activated a pair of lightsabers, through the warrior's torso. As the warrior's organs were cut open and cooked, Grievous leaned into the trooper's face. "We can do it this way, if that's what you desire," he said, relishing in this moment.

"Grievous!" He heard someone shout from behind him.

The General turned over his shoulder and saw Maul jumping towards him. He pulled his blades out of the dead trooper and raised them, just in time to protect himself while also catching Maul in a saber lock.

The two warriors stared at each other, past their blades, a look of anger adorning Maul's face.

"I'm _more_ than a match for you!" Maul said.

"Your efforts are useless!" Grievous taunted, "Your army is skilled, but mine is unending." The General then delivered a well placed kick underneath Maul's defenses, kicking him several feet across the ground. When Maul got back up, Grievous gestured to the battle around him. "Look around. Your Mandalorians have been crushed!" Maul looked around, and all he saw were his warriors faltering and being overrun. Those who still fought were gunned down. Wounded warriors who tried to surrender were executed on the spot. "Only my droids remain now. Your battle is already lost!"

"AAARRAAGGHH!" Maul screamed out, frustrated as he looked around at the carnage his enemies have unleashed. Then he heard the sounds of loud rumbling engines. He looked off into the distance, and saw several gray and blue mandalorian bombers approaching, including his red and black one named the _Nightbrother_. He felt relieved by the sight... but just barely. Then he turned back to Grievous. "We're not finished yet," he said, pointing to his bombers, "My gauntlet fighters have yet to enter the fight."

The Mandalorian bombers flew low over the embattled camp, which was crawling with droids, and dropped their payload. A series of explosions ripped through the droid forces and the camp itself. Several dropships and landing craft were wiped out by the carpet bombing.

Grievous growled as he witnessed the destruction of his ground forces. Then he turned to Maul, split his arms apart, and activated another pair of lightsabers. Maul assumed a defensive stance and prepared to defend himself. That's when two of Grievous' hands started to rapidly rotate, causing the sabers to spin around like blue and green propellers. Maul, being taken aback by this new ability of Grievous', began to inch away. Grievous bagan to laugh maniacally, as his Zabrak opponent began to back away.

"It will be nice to add such a rare lightsaber to my collection," he said of sound of his spinning sabers.

But before he could get close enough to Maul, a red painted guantlet fighter hovered above the ground being Maul. Grievous was surprised by this. Even more so when the ramp opened up and Maul jumped back, boarding the _Nightbrother_.

"Ha! Not this time, Grievous!" Maul said, before the ship took off. He turned around and walked up not the ship, walking passed Rook Kast.

"Lord Maul - I was afraid we'd lost you," she said, matter of factly.

Maul just waved her off and stormed off, deeper into the ship. "Take us away from here, Kast." He ordered, causing her to run off and carry out his order, "I can no longer stomach the sight of it," he said before the ramp closed after he took one last look at the battlefield.

Then the ship rose above the columns of dark smoke, before rocketing off into orbit, leaving this horrible defeat behind.

* * *

_Former Shadow Collective camp_.

In the aftermath of the battle, amidst the smoking remains of both armies, Grievous was holding a hologram of his master, Count Dooku.

"I have done as you asked," Grievous reported, "I have made Maul bleed. He and his forces are now on the run."

_"What were his losses?_ " Dooku asked.

"Extensive." Grievous said as he looked around at the Mandalorian corpses that littered the ground, and at the destroyed buildings. Then he look over at the piles of dead droids that sparked and smoked. "But in truth, I had all but exhausted my own forces as well."

" _Acceptable losses, General. You have done well."_ Dooku congratulated, " _Maul will believe that we are attempting to destroy his power base, and disrupt his syndicate. He must not discover our true intentions_."

"The witch, Talzin?" Grievous asked.

"Yes," Dooku confirmed, "My master feels that these attacks will draw her out into the open."

"Why would she risk herself so?" Grievous asked, demanding answers, "What value does Maul hold for her?"

"All in good time, General," Dooku answered. "You will see, all in good time."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	2. Into the Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks, Grubkiller here.
> 
> Here's part two of this Darth Maul story.
> 
> Hope that you enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Clone Wars theme plays

* * *

_CONSPIRACY OF EVIL! DARTH SIDIOUS CAPTURED AND INTERROGATED HIS FORMER APPRENTICE MAUL—AND LEARNED THAT THE WITCH MOTHER TALZIN WAS BEHIND HIS RESURRECTION. AWARE OF TALZIN'S GROWING POWER AS A FORMIDABLE ADVERSARY, SIDIOUS DEVISED A PLAN TO USE MAUL TO LURE HER OUT INTO THE OPEN, WHERE HE CAN DESTROY HER._

_FREED BY HIS ALLIES, MAUL REJOINED HIS MANDALORIAN ARMY ON ZANBAR, BUT SOON FELL UNDER AN ATTACK BY GENERAL GRIEVOUS, WHO ROUTED MAUL'S FORCES AFTER AN INTENSE GROUND BATTLE._

_NOW ON THE RUN, MAUL ATTEMPTS TO REGROUP BEFORE SIDIOUS, GRIEVOUS, AND COUNT DOOKU CAN CLOSE RANKS AROUND HIM…_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Nightbrother, Maul's personal ship, in Hyperspace with the Shadow Collective fleet_.

As the Shadow Collective travelled through hyperspace, going wherever this war would take them, Darth Maul sat in his private quarters, meditating. Concentrating with the Force, he tried to reach out to his mother, the Witch of Dathomir herself, Mother Talzin.

"Mother..." he said, seemingly to no one. Then he spoke out again, trying to speak with someone that he hoped was listening, "Mother... I implore you. I seek your guidance."

That's when a searing pain erupted from his chest, which seemed to rip open, allowing a green mist to flow out of him and fill the room around him. He groaned in pain from this sudden occurrence.

"Do not fight me, my child. Become my vessel," a new voice said, in a raspy, yet reassuring voice.

Maul looked up to see a gray skinned woman wearing red robes standing in front of him.

"Speak to me, my beloved Son," Talzin said.

"I have done as you wished. The power that me and Savage amassed Lured your enemy, Sidious. He killed Savage and captured me. But I escaped his grasp." Maul explained, the recounting of his brother's demise making him feel hollo inside.

"We must assume that Sidious allowed you to escape. With Sidious, nothing is as it seems. If we are to avenge Savage, and defeat our enemies, then we must be the same way." Talzin said.

Maul nodded. "You are wise as ever, Mother." Then he continued, recounting more recent events. "Grievous and his army drove us from Zanbar. We are wounded, but alive. What is your guidance?"

"Sidious will expect you to retreat to my protection. We will not do this. Send your forces to Ord Mantell. Your allies - the Black Sun - has a stronghold there. They will gather their strength and prepare to make War against the Confederacy. But you - my son - will go into the Unknown Regions. You may find allies that will compliment your forces perfectly. Our next steps are critical." Mother Talzin said.

Maul lit up slightly. "Wherever it is, will you meet me there, Mother?"

"I will not..." She said, regretfully, "...However, with these new allies at your side, our victory will be total and complete," she said before she disappeared back inside of Mual's torso.

When he was sure that he was alone, he began to mull over what he was told to do. Then he went to the cockpit to direct the fleet on its next move.

* * *

Darth Maul stood in the cockpit of his ship, speaking to holograms of Gar Saxon of Death Watch, Fife of the Pykes Syndicate, and Ziton Moj of Black Sun.

"A battle is coming, my brothers..." Maul said, "A battle between the Sith and that which they fear most - _us._ "

_"You inspire us all, Lord Maul. But do you truly mean to fight Count Dooku and his Separatist legions?_ " Moj asked, concerned that Maul was in over his head.

"Their forces are mindless droids, Ziton Moj. Take out their leadership and they all fall down," Maul answered with confidence. He turned his back to his lieutenants and looked out the viewport, deep in contemplation. "These Clone Wars have vastly overextended Dooku and Grievous. They are more vulnerable than they realize."

"And they remain unaware of our true power and numbers," the leader of the Pykes said.

"Precisely, Fife. We can attack them directly," Maul said as he clenched his fist, when he realized that he was much more confident in his success, "It is time for us to go to War. We must attack the Confederacy where they are Vulnerable. And when we have drawn enough attention, we will lure Dooku and Grievous into our net."

"What about you, Lord Maul?" Saxon asked, wanting to know where maul fit into this lan so far.

Maul turned to look at his lieutenant. "I have been meditating on a way to deal with Dooku and his minions, and I reason to believe the solution is somewhere in the Unknown Regions."

Everyone in the room, whether physical or holographic, was taken aback by what Maul just said.

" _The Unknown Regions!_?" Moj exclaimed, " _You want us to go to war with the Confederacy while you go into uncharted space?_ "

Maul walked up to Moj's hologram, sizing him up.

"I want you to do as _I say_. Everything will become clear. All in good time. Until then, you will engage the Droid forces. And when I've returned with the means to defeat Dooku, you will be given riches beyond your wildest dreams."

Moj and Fife nodded before their holograms disappeared.

But Saxon's hologram remained.

"Keep them in line while I'm away." Maul ordered.

Saxon nodded. "Yes, Lord Maul."

Rook Kast turned in her chair and began to punch in the hyperspace co-ordinates. Maul looked out the viewport as he watched most of his fleet head into Ord Mantell's orbit, while the rest formed up around the _Nightbrother_ , and prepared to jump as well.

"I hope this mission is worth it, Lord Maul." She said before her co-pilot pushed the lever the powered up the hyperdrive.

"It will be, Kast. Of that I am sure." Maul said.

Although Maul would never say it, he was having doubts as well. Then the stars began to elongate, and the ships were all propelled into hyperspace.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Invisible Hand, in hyperspace_.

As the Separatist armada, comprised of several heavy cruisers, frigates, and supply ships traveled through hyperspace, Grievous was reading the latest reports aloud to Count Dooku, who stood behind Grievous' command chair.

"Our spies report Mandalorian Warships amassing above Ord Mantell..." Grievous said aloud, "...Which only confirms that Black Sun is in league with Maul's syndicate."

"And it is there that he gathers his army, general..." he said as he stepped next to Grievous' chair, crossing his arms, "We cannot strike until we confirm that mother Talzin is there with him."

"Why is this witch so important, my Lord?" Grievous asked, "She has no army - no power compared ours."

Count Dooku glared at Grievous with a stoic scowl, ready to give another one of his famous lectures. "Tallinn is an older, and fouler, creature than you guess, General. her power runs deep. Her teachings - her magic - were once sought out by my Master. They were once allies. Now her meddling could compromise all of our designs. She must be destroyed."

When Dooku was down explaining himself to Grievous, the super tactical droid Tey-Zuka stepped up to them to give his latest report.

"Sir, our reconnaissance droids orbiting Ord Mantell report that several Mandalorian warships have just broken off from the main fleet. Maul's ship was among them."

Grievous and Dooku looked at the droid with interest. "Were they able to tag the ship?" Grievous asked.

"Yes, my Lord. The markings on the ship identify it as the one Maul used to escape Zanbar. We were also able to confirm it's trajectory with the tracker. There aren't any major planets in their path. They are maintaining a steady coarse North-east." The droid informed.

Dooku stepped in front of the command chair, and looked out the viewport, watching the blue vortex of hyperspace waving around them. Then he turned around around to face his subordinates.

"The Witch may be attempting to reach Maul as we speak. Lock onto the tracker we've placed on Maul's and instruct the fleet to follow us. We're going after Maul. And when we find them, you will lock down the region with your fleet. I'll deal with Maul and the Witch"

"What about the rest of Maul's allies?" He asked.

"They made a poor decision when they sided with Maul. Signal our forces into the regions that these forces operate out of. While we pursue Maul, these criminals will be made to feel the consequences of their foolish actions."

* * *

_Across the galaxy, Shadow Collective forces were getting into position for a serious fight._

_Fighters and warships from the different factions were heading into orbit of several planets, while infantry from the major factions, even some sympathetic locals, were getting into position, directed by Super Commandoes from Death Watch, who drilled them into a professional military as best as they could._

_That's when hundreds of lasers started to slam into Ord Mantell City, from a Separatist fleet that was in orbit above._

_Gar Saxon turned to his warriors "Comrades! The battle we've waited for our entire lives is upon us. Let's go scrap some droids." Saxon said before he raised his fist in the air. "Victory of Death!"_

_His men raised their fists in the air and repeated Saxon's battle cry._

_"VICTORY OR DEATH!"_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that was part 2.
> 
> Part 3 is when things get more interesting. Keep an eye out for my next update.
> 
> until next time as always, this is Grubkiller, over and out.


	3. Enemy of My Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> Hey folks, here's part 8 of this story, and part 3 of this act.
> 
> This is where things start to get interesting. Hope that you enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Clone Wars theme plays.

* * *

_APPRENTICE ON THE RUN!_

_AFTER BEING FREED BY HIS ALLIES, DARTH MAUL'S SYNDICATE REGROUPS ON ORD MANTELL AND CONTACTS THE WITCH MOTHER TALZIN, WHO DIRECTS HIM TO TRAVEL INTO THE TREACHEROUS UNKNOWN REGIONS FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THEIR PLAN._

_WHILE THE SEPARATISTS LAUNCH A FULL-SCALE WAR AGAINST MAUL'S ALLIES, COUNT DOOKU AND GENERAL GRIEVOUS FOLLOW HIM INTO UNCHARTED SPACE, HOPING TO PUT AN END TO HIS RISE TO POWER ONCE AND FOR ALL..._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Uncharted space_.

The Unknown regions.

It was a broad term that described any region of the galaxy located beyond the borders of charted space.

But despite the dangers of traveling through uncharted space, such as black holes, supernovas, nebulas, and asteroids, people and civilizations still tried to break through the void and see what lies beyond the borders of known space.

These largely unexplored parts of the galaxy remain a mystery to space travelers, and serve as sources for tales and wonders.

Deep within this great mystery of the unknown, a small Mandlorian fleet of light corvettes, armed cargo freighters, troop transports, and fighter-bombers, was traveling through the sector.

Onboard the lead ship, a Red and black painted gauntlet fighter, the leader of this fleet looked out of the front viewport, while two of his crew members tried to navigate this uncharted region.

So far they had to endure space storms, asteroid fields, and even a black hole. Several ships were already lost, adding to the long list of doomed travelers to this great mysterious void outside the known galaxy.

Rook Kast continued to pilot the ship, just as a giant space worm protrude from a nearby asteroid and bit into an armor freighter. The screams of the crew over the comm cut to static as the ship was crunched between the teeth of the massive creature. Several nearby warships tried to blast the creature's head and pick up survivors, but to little avail.

Kast's co-pilot, a young rookie, gulped nervously as he watched the ship being swallowed. "Uhm, Lord Maul... not that I'm arguing, but... is this really the best course of action?"

"I am certain, soldier. This is where we find the key to defeating our enemies, and getting our revenge. Unless you want to see Mandalore subjugated by Dooku and his pawns? Maul asked.

The co-pilot nodded nervously. "Yes, my lord."

Seconds later, an alarm started to go off throughout the ship. "My Lord, we're picking us several ships heading towards us. They're coming out of hyperspace." Kast said.

"Is it the separatists?" Maul asked.

"No. They're not coming from behind us. They're in front of us." Kast said.

"Battle stations! Raise the forward shields and charge up all weapons." Maul ordered.

As the crew prepared for battle, several warships shot out of hyperspace. Moments later, dozens of fighters swarmed out of the cruisers, but they didn't head towards the Shadow Collective fleet. Instead, they flew around the hulls of the ships, creating a protective screen, which indicated a defensive posture. This gave away their intentions to Maul.

But before he could give any orders, something about these ships was familiar.

Each one was about 800 meters in length and had a wedge-shaped design. The "point" of the forward wedge split down the middle for a third of the length of the ship, forming two prongs.

That's when it donned on Mal that he's seen these ships before, in the history logs and script he remembered reading under Sidious' tutelage.

They were Harrower-class Battlecruisers... which formed the backbone of the Sith Imperial Fleet hundreds, even thousands, of years ago.

"Lord Maul, the lead ship is hailing us." Kast informed.

"Patch it through."

Kast obeyed and pressed a few buttons on the comm-pad. Since they were using ancient comm frequencies, it took a few seconds for the transmission to come through. A hologram of a fair-skinned man, with a bald head, but with dark sideburns that led to a beard face, appeared on the console in front of them.

_"Un-identified warships, this is Admiral Hestun. You are trespassing into the territory of the Eternal Sith Empire. You will identify yourselves and your business being here, or we will unleash the fury and might of Imperial Navy._ "

Maul was frozen in shock for several heartbeats.

His fleet has just run into a remnant of the Ancient Sith Empire. This must've been the potential ally Mother told him about. When it finally registered that he was being threatened with death, he immediately stabbed a button with his finger and answered back.

"This is Darth Maul. Son of Dathomir, former apprentice to Darth Sidious, and leader of the Shadow Collective. We mean you no harm. We wish for an audience with your leaders."

For a moment, the bearded Admiral didn't answer back.

" _You are Sith as well? You must be apart of the line of Darth Bane. If that is true, than I should just destroy you now."_

"No. I was a member of the Rule of Two lineage... but not anymore. If you let us have an audience with your leaders, then I would like to propose an alliance. If you let us live, I will give you the means to destroy the Rule of Two, and reclaim your rightful place as the rulers of the Known Universe."

No one answered back for several seconds. Then they finally did.

" _Very well._ "

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Some time later, Uncharted Space_.

A Separatist flotilla was traveling through this sector. Instead of going after Maul like most of the other CIS ships in the region, this small task force was going on an exploration of the unknown regions. Starting off from the Crispin System on the edge of the outer rim, they travelled through hyperspace for several days with Grievous's fleet while in pursuit of Maul, before breaking off to document their findings and update their charts.

Then they dropped out into sub-light speed, and have been launching probe droids in every direction for weeks on end.

They've been hoping to find something worth reporting back.

But for several days, no signs of life.

Sure, the probes would come back and map the region, pointing out different constellations, asteroid belts, and other anomalies, the Separatist still haven't found any concrete proof of lost civilizations.

They were about to give up the search.

That's when one battle droid went to inspect the probe droids that have returned. His job was to check their memory banks, pull out their memory cores, and send them to intel so that the images they took could be reviewed. But for the most part, all the droid and his companions saw were more constellations, more nebulas, more anomalies, and occasionally a black hole or two.

But then they came across the planet.

Wait... a planet? Out here?

The droid technicians gathered around and began to review the images. They saw several more planets and realized that the probe has come across a star system.

The droids also noticed that several other probes that were sent to this area had not come back. They must've been destroyed. In the unknown regions, any number of reasons were responsible for a probe to go offline. But if they went offline because someone wants them destroyed, it means that whoever was in the system didn't want to be discovered.

The droids went to inform their captain, who sent a message to their base back in the Crispin System, where this whole exploration began. The droids that were on the communications deck of a Confederate space station received the message.

It read: ' _We've made a great discovery. Contact Count Dooku immediately'_.

* * *

_Invisible Hand, Unknown regions_.

"Tell me exactly what you've discovered." Count Dooku asked to the hologram of a Neimodian ship captain, that stood in front of him, Grievous, and Tey-Zuka.

" _Sir. One of the probe droids we've sent out returned with images of a star system. Studies indicate that one of the planets support life. I've also looked at some of the reports that you've sent us recently. The tracking device that was placed on Maul's ship has been transmitting from here before the signal was cut out again._ "

Over the last few days, since the search for Maul started, the entire armada, and the other task forces that branched off, has been following the signal from the device on Maul's ship. But the signal was lost several times before re-appearing again, making it difficult to track him.

But now that they knew of the system that they knew that the signal was now coming from a sector that supported life, they new of Maul's hiding place.

Dooku turned to Grievous. "General. Lock onto the last none location of the signal, and direct the rest of the fleet there. We need to capture Maul soon."

"Yes, master," Grievous said before he pressed a few button and sent the orders out.

Soon, the fleet turned in the direction of the signal, and shot off into hyperspace a few seconds later.

The hunt continues.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Kaas city, Dromund Kaas system_.

High above Kaas City, the capital of the exiled Sith Empire, stood the Imperial Citadel. This structure was the very center of the Imperial Government. It contained the headquarters of the Ministries of War, Intelligence, and Logistics.

After a number of massive, never-ending conflicts with the Jedi and the Republic, which culminated in their great defeat at Ruusan, remnants of the Sith covertly left the galaxy in a great exodus, where they eventually settled on the remote planet of Dromund Kaas in the unknown regions.

This led to Kaas City's rise from a small settlement into a massive metropolitan area, after conquering the thick, inhospitable jungle that surrounded it.

Ever since they were exiled, the citizens that helped colonize this planet were taught a number of things from the Sith. Among them were Unity, Order, and Allegiance. But one thing stood above the rest.

Revenge.

Revenge against the disorderly Republic and the hated Jedi who defeated them. And because they conquered this new life for themselves, they felt unstoppable.

This civilization was run by a Sith-led Military Junta. They've been running the show ever since, from their headquarters in the Citadel tower, which was also home to many prominent Sith lords.

The Empress of the Sith Empire, Acina, was among them. She was a woman with a tan complexion, with brown hair tied back in a tight bun, and eyes that were orange due to her dark side corruption.

She wore a black and gray wetsuit that her fiancé, an army officer she met when she was just an acolyte, gave her. It was comfortable, and it accentuated her body effectively in all it's womanly glory. One could even make out the nipples on her well formed breasts, had she not been wearing an armored chest plate over her bust. She also wore a skirt that had armor plates over it, covering her voluptuous rump. She also wore high-heeled boots. A dark cape also hung down from her shoulders.

She sat in her throne room with one leg crossed over the other, and grasping the arms rests with her leather gloved hands, surrounded by the Sith high council, and many military leaders, including her future husband, who sat around and studied the hologram of the red and black Zabrak, with robot legs and black robes.

"So, you are a member of the line of Darth Bane?" Acina asked. "...The traitor who deserted our ranks".

" _Yes,"_ Maul said, " _But I no longer serve that treacherous line of Bane. My former master, Darth Sidious, cast me aside and replaced me. He killed my brother, and he is now after me. I live to see him, and all he has created, destroyed. I believe that an alliance between our two factions will make that happen._ "

"This Empire has rebuilt itself and has grown with two goals in mind: Revenge against the Jedi and the Republic, and the total reconquest of the galaxy that turned its back on us," Acina said. "A renegade order of Two Sith are hardly a challenge for an entire Empire.

" _An exiled remnant of an Empire, you mean?_ " Maul asked.

Acina frowned.

But Maul continued.

"Heed my warning, Empress Acina. Darth Sidious and Count Dooku have amassed more power than you can possibly imagine. The entire galaxy is within their very fingertips. If you want to reclaim your place as the True Sith and the rightful rulers of the Galaxy, then you will accept my proposal for an alliance."

"And what do you have that I cannot simply take?" Acina asked.

Maul continued to stand there, his hands behind his back, as he looked at the Sith Empress with a stoic, demonic face. Then he answered.

"Knowledge," Maul said, "...and an army of Mandalorians and underworld organizations. You may have an 'Empire', but you wouldn't be able to navigate the galaxy on your own. Plus, with the resources that I possess in the underworld, logistics will not be a problem. And then there's Dooku."

Acina's eyebrows flared up. Then she leaned over in her throne, with her hands clasped together. "Go on." She urged.

Maul continued.

"If we work together, then we can capture Count Dooku. Once we have him, and destroy his forces, we will be able to draw my old master out of hiding, where we will be able to strike him. In the ensuing chaos, the galaxy will be quick to accept your rule. Or, if we kill Dooku, we can blame the incident on the Jedi. The Once we tell the Confederate people of his demise at the hands of the Jedi, the Separatists will be quick to accept your offer of friendship, and revenge against the Republic. And Once the Jedi are dead, and the Republic in shambles, the Sith will rule the galaxy, as it was always meant to. And you, Darth Acina, will not only be Empress of the Kaas System, but also the known galaxy."

Acina smiled behind her clasped hands, imagining the possibility, that she would be the one that would do what her predecessors have failed to do, and conquer the galaxy. But as she contemplated the future, she felt a sudden disturbance wash through her. Her eyes squinted when she felt it.

She looked around and saw some of the other Sith Lords rubbing their heads as they felt the disturbance too.

" _You can feel it too, can't you?_ " Maul asked, causing Acina to look right at him, " _The Separatists are already here._ "

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Invisible Hand, in hyperspace approaching Maul's last known location_.

Grievous stood in front of the viewport of the bridge, as he watched out over the blue vortex of hyperspace, with his hands clasped behind his back. Dooku sat in the command chair in the center of the ship.

"My Lord, we are coming up on the system where Maul was last located. Exiting Hyperspace in 3... 2..." Tey-Zuka said before the ship dropped out of hyperspace. The ships shot out of hyperspace, and they saw a blue orb coming up on them, surrounded by two smaller orbs that were red.

But as they zoomed closer to the planet, they saw dozens of objects appear as specks in front of them. Grievous thought that maybe it was Maul ragtag fleet of pirates and terrorists. But then the objects got bigger and bigger until they appeared to be battlecruisers.

The Separatist armada dropped speed significantly before returning to sub-light speed, only to come face to face with the large dreadnoughts.

Everyone on the bridge was in complete shock. They didn't see any of Maul's ships. All they saw was something worse.

Harrower-class battlecruisers.

"Evasive action!" Grievous bellowed, as the Invisible Hand continued to slice through space, straight towards a Battlecruiser.

The ship's engines switched to a reverse thrust, nearly throwing everyone forward out of their seats. But it was too late. The dreadnought's momentum carried it forward, and the pointed bow cleaved straight into a battlecruiser. The smaller ship was speared, and explosions started to dot its hull.

Dooku grabbed a hold of the arm rest on his chair, while Grievous' feet dug into the deck to keep him from falling. But Tey-Zuka and several droids went flying into the deck.

An alarm started to blare throughout the ship. But the ship seemed to be in good shape, all things considered. Most of the fleet also exited hyperspace without a hitch. But the same could not be said for some other ships that had come out of hyperspace too far ahead. Two Munificent-class frigates collided straight into other ships and were vaporized completely. A third ship, a Recusant-class destroyer, didn't collide with anything, but was completely surrounded by a fistful of battlecruisers, which ganged up on them with all cannons firing. The ship fought back but was overwhelmed and destroyed.

"Guh, Report!" Dooku demanded.

"Sir, three of our ships have been destroyed. Our shields are down 25 percent. But all other ships are combat ready, and await your word." A battle droid pilot called out.

"Sir, unknown enemy cruisers are forming up and charging weapons." Another one called out.

"Battle stations. Activate our cannons, and divert all power to the forward shields." Grievous barked out.

That's when the first salvo of muzzle flashes began to blink rapidly across the opposing fleet. Dozens of turbo-laser blasts hammered into the shields bows of the Separatist ships, which began to fire back. Both fleets stood face to face, and continued to exchange fire with one another. Ships on both sides suffered extensive damage. One by one, ships on both sides began to disappear in immense fireballs. Star-fighters from both sides continued to zip around each other's fleets, or in the debris fields between them.

It was a bloodbath of epic proportion. But neither side seemed to be willing to withdraw.

As the pure mayhem continued, Count Dooku started to study the enemy ships closely. He knew that they were Harrower-class dreadnoughts. But he didn't know who was piloting them. He suspected that these old ships were brought back into service to supplement Maul's criminal navy.

But such assumptions went straight out the airlock when he zoomed in on the hull of one of the battlecruisers. He saw what looked to be a Hexagon, with arrows pointing out of each side, all inside of a bigger hexagon. The realization hit him hard. At first he thought it was impossible. But then, he looked up at the battle outside, and realized that he wasn't dreaming.

The Sith Empire lived on.

"General, withdraw the fleet." He ordered.

Grievous turned around. He was surprised that his master had ordered him to do such a thing. "What? But my Lord, we can't retreat now. We can break through." He said, trying to reason with Dooku.

"Break through to what? We know very little out this enemy, or what they have to do with Darth Maul. Call off this attack, withdraw to the nearby moon." Dooku ordered.

Grievous let out a low growl. "As you wish, Count Dooku."

* * *

Moments later, the Separatist fleet turned around and began to fall back to the nearby moon. The Sith naval forces that remained, were too damaged to pursue. Both sides suffered heavy casualties.

When the Separatist Armada took control of the moon, they turned it into a base of operations. They repaired their fleet and landed troops in several locations. They even created bases that would help feed any further incursions into the system.

Meanwhile, the Sith Empire, conceding their front door to the CIS, withdrew back to Dromund Kaas' orbit.

Now, both sides stared at each other, watching and waiting for the battle that was to come.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_War room, Imperial Citadel, Kaas City, Dromund Kaas_.

Darth Acina walked into one of multiple bunkers that were underneath the Citadel. This one served as the war room, which was the nerve center for the entire Imperial military. It was bustling with activity, as Officers, Moffs, and Sith Lords chattered about.

Acina, her apprentice, and her bodyguards all walked over to an Imperial Grand Admiral, an obese, bald-headed human named Harridax Kirill, who was looking at a map of the system. It was zoomed in on the sector with Dromund Kaas and it's moons. It showed the location of the Separatist feet near the moon, and the Imperial Home Fleet.

"Grand Admiral, report. What news from orbit?" Acina asked.

The Grand Admiral raised his fist into the air in a salute. "Long Live the Empress," he said before he gave his report, "Your Imperial Majesty, the enemy fleet came right out of hyperspace, around here," he said, pointing a sausage-like finger at a spot between the planet and one of its moons. "And after a glorious struggle that left heavy casualties on both sides, the enemy withdrew, and is now set up above this moon, here. At the same time, our fleet pulled back into orbit." Kirill said, pointing back to Dromund Kaas. "We have the power to drive them out of the system. All I need is your blessing."

"You don't have it... yet," Acina said, to the surprise of the Grand Admiral, "I want you to hold back and gather your strength. We will strike when the time is right."

"Your grace," someone said behind her. Acina turned around to face the new voice. It was an imperial officer, who was presenting her with a hologram of Darth Maul. "Maul wishes to speak with you."

She looked at the small hologram of Maul, which came from the projector in the young officer's hand.

" _I was hoping that you've made your final decision._ " Maul said.

Acina scowled at the holographic Zabrak. "You led them straight here."

" _And I can help drive them back, but only if you agree to an alliance."_ Maul said. Acina scoffed and turned away _. "Look..." Maul continued, "My old master has found you. He will not leave you alone forever. He will continue to send forces until you have been crushed. Then he will continue to come after me. I want revenge against my masters, and you want the galaxy on your plate. Let us work together, and we can achieve our goals."_

Acina looked down at the ground. Then she looked around at the Impeiral officers. They all looked at her. She caught the gaze of her fiancé, a spec-ops commander named Major Odile Vaiken, who looked back at her. Her angered face relaxed when she saw him. He nodded. She nodded back, and smiled. Then she turned back to Maul.

"Very well. I will help you. On one conditions." She said.

"Of course?" Maul asked.

Acina smiled. "You led the invaders here. So you're going to help us put them in the dirt."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Invisible Hand's observation deck, in orbit above Dromund Kaas' moon_.

The hologram of Darth Sidious illuminated the room. He towered over Count Dooku, who had just given him this startling report.

_"The Sith Empire, these... exiles you've discovered... you believe them to be in league with Darth Maul?_ " He asked.

"Yes, master." Dooku said. "We've tracked Maul to this system, and the Imperial forces opened fire on us. It appears he is forging an alliance with their leadership."

Sidious groaned softly to himself, as he mulled over what his apprentice has just said.

" _If this is true, then this changes everything. Mother Talzin is still a target of ours, but she is no longer out primary concern. This Empire of exiles must be dealt with. They represent a clear and present danger to all of our designs. Call in your reinforcements. it's time for the True Order of the Sith to assert its dominance over this..." he scoffed before he answered, "...embarrassment from the past._ "

"Yes Master," Dooku said before his master's hologram disappeared.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was the big twist everyone. An alliance of the eras.
> 
> The next part will be up soon.
> 
> Keep an eye out for it.


	4. Battle of the Ages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Folks, Grubkiller here.
> 
> Last chapter, Darth Maul, with his mother's guidance, stumbles upon a remnant of the ancient Sith Empire, drawing them into his war with Count Dooku.
> 
> Here's part 4, where the fun begins.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Clone Wars theme plays

* * *

AN EMPIRE IN EXILE! AFTER TRAVELING INTO THE UNKNOWN REGIONS TO EXECUTE TALZIN'S PLAN, DARTH MAUL'S FLEET DISCOVERS A REMNANT 0F THE SITH EMPIRE, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EXILE FOR NEARLY ONE THOUSAND YEARS.

AFTER A SKIRMISH BREAKS OUT BETWEEN THE SITH FLEET, AND THE PURSUING DROID FLEET, AN ALLIANCE IS FORMED BETWEEN DARTH MUAL'S SYNDICATE AND EMPRESS ACINA'S SITH EMPIRE.

NOW, BOTH OF THESE RENEGADE SITH PREPARE FOR THE ATTACK THAT IS ABOUT TO COME FROM DARTH SIDIOUS' MINIONS...

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Invisible Hand's observation Deck Dromend Kaas' moon_.

High above one of Dromund Kaas' moons, a massive Separatist armada of Munificent-class star frigates, Recusant-class destroyers, DH-Omni Support Vessels, and a Providence-class Dreadnought, hovered above the planet. They were preparing for battle against a civilization that was long thought to be lost.

In Count Dooku's temporary quarters in the observation deck at the top of the ship's aft conning tower, the supreme commander of the Separatist droid forces, General Grievous, stepped into the room.

His metal taloned feet clanked against the floor as he stalked across the room, which was filled with Commando Droids. He walked up until he was about ten feet in front of Dooku, who stood up to look down at him.

Grievous kneeled before his master, who stood on the steps to his rotating chair.

"You summoned me, my lord?" The cyborg General asked.

"The time has come at last to take revenge on the Sith traitors who deserted us so many years ago, and to kill their false Empress, Darth Acina." Dooku explained. Grievous looked up at him when he explained the mission. "I have learned recently that these Sith exiles have taken refuge on the planet Dromund Kaas, deep in the unknown regions. We will go there... and wipe the exiles out. _All_ of them," Dooku said. "There refusal to follow the True Lord of the Sith will not go unpunished."

Grievous bowed his head.

"Yes, master," the cyborg general said before he went to go gather the fleet and army for battle.

Meanwhile, Dooku went to take his personal shuttle down to the planet's surface.

* * *

Grievous stalked across the deck to get back onto the bridge. A battle droid carrying a data-pad was struggling to keep up with the general's incredibly long strides.

"Assemble the fleet. The time has come to destroy our enemies. We go to Dromund Kaas... to battle".

The general met a pair of magna guards, and they followed him into the command deck.

When Grievous was on the bridge, looking out the viewport, he could see a massive field below, which housed a massive fleet of C-9979 landing craft. Their engines emitted a loud hum that buzzed and rumbled across the field. They were being loaded up with tanks and infantry. Those that were loaded up closed up their doors and headed straight for orbit. Vulture droids walked across the field before they began to take off only by one, before escorting the 'H'-shaped transports to their rendezvous with the fleet. This was going to be a large battle.

This wasn't even half of the fleet. They were linking up with several battle groups that were about to exit hyperspace near Dromund Kaas.

The battle to come was no ordinary battle.

It was going to be a battle for the ages.

A battle that caused two totally different eras to meet face to bloody face.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Command Bunker, Imperial Citadel, Kaas City_.

Deep underneath the Imperial Citadel, Darth Maul giving a briefing to the assembled Sith Lords and Imperial Officers. He stood in front of an orange hologram of the city, which was surrounded by a thick jungle.

When holograms of Empress Acina and her apprentice, a pureblood Sith named Darth Vowrawn, appeared in the room, Maul began to speak, pointing at the city and the space above.

"Their Attack will begin by air. Ground forces will be committed once they believe the battle is won." Maul pointed to several narrow streets on the edge of the city. "We'll lure them into the chokepoints, here, here, and here. Use their numbers against them. Once we draw them in, Lord Vowrawn will lead our forces in a full scale counter-attack. What we lack in numbers, we will make up for in superior skill and mastery of the terrain."

Acina nodded. But her heir and apprentice had reservations.

" _And where will you and your Mandalorians... Maul?_ " Vowrawn said, deliberately ignoring the 'Darth' in front of Maul's name.

Maul looked at Vowrawn's hologram and sized him up, before speaking in his cool, yet frightening voice. "My warriors will be carrying out our part of the plan that is most important... Vowrawn," Maul said, addressing the Sith master the same way he addressed Maul.

They both stared at each other from across the room, scowling.

But then the Empress stepped in with all the tact of a school teacher disciplining her students. " _Put aside your petty rivalry, apprentice. Lord Maul will follow the plan just as I expect you to_."

Vowrawn nodded, but made sure to give one last stink-eyed glance at Maul before keeping his bitterness in check. Then he looked to his master again.

" _Master, how do you plan to face the Count?_ " He asked.

An armored figure stepped into the hologram next to the Empress. He wore bulky armor that was all black. " _The newest unit of soldiers in our Empire... A platoon of Force-sensitive Dark troopers._ "

That's when they all looked to the ceiling as a dark feeling surrounded them all.

"I can feel it too..." Maul said as he looked up, "...The Separatists are advancing."

He turned to Rook Kast. "Kast, contact our warriors. Tell them we need to be in position for when the counter-attack."

She nodded and followed him out of the bunker, while Acina and Vowrawn's holograms disappeared, going on to direct their forces into battle.

* * *

Behind the great wall protecting Kaas City, Imperial forces were preparing for battle. Soldiers rushed back and forth to get to their defensive stations on top of the outer wall, and outside of it on the jungle floor.

Anti-ship cannons were loaded up, and their barrels were pointed up at the sky.

"Move, move! We are under attack. Get to your positions and prepare for war!" One officer shouted.

As Sith Troopers with bulky onyx armor, and red stripes, rushed to their positions, Darth Vowrawne, apprentice to Empress Acina and heir to her throne, stood on weapons crates to give an inspiring speech to his men.

"Your Empress has decreed that not a single step shall be taken backwards. We will stop the False Sith, and their pathetic army at the walls of our great city. On this day, as the enemy fleet descends upon us, we will defend our glorious civilization against the false Sith. Your families demand that you rise to the occasion to fight for the glory of our Empire. For too long, we suffered our crippling, humiliating defeat at the hands of the Jedi, and the Republic. We've suffered countless, unbearable hardships. We were left by our enemies to die from disease and famine. But that time has passed. For years, we've endured nothing but struggle and suffering, slowly rebuilding our strength, our pride, and our Empire. Once the false Sith have been defeated, we will emerge the shadows and show the galaxy our true power. For The Empire!"

The assembled troopers pumped their fists into the air and cut loose with a vicious battle cry.

"FOR THE EMPIRE!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Dooku turned to Grievous. "General, you may proceed with the operation," Dooku said before he sat back down in the command chair.

Grievous bowed his head before answering. "Yes master." He turned around and began to take long clanking strides across the deck with his metal feet. "All ahead full. Load the batteries and raise the forward shields. Prepare to fire on my command."

The droids all snapped to attention and sounded off a crisp 'Roger, Roger' in almost perfect unison.

They turned back to their stations and got the ship moving. The Invisible Hand rumbled forward at the head of the fleet. The frigates, destroyers, and supply ships followed her at flank speed.

Imperial warships maintained their defensive blockade over Dromund Kaas. These old Star-Destroyers have never seen action before. And they were heavily modified. They were at a slight disadvantage in the face of the modern day warships of the Separatist Alliance. But that didn't matter to the warriors of the Sith Empire. Their ancestors carved their way into the unknown, and built a civilization from less than nothing. This attitude made them undaunted in the face of adversary. They were fighting for their History, their Empress, and for their Empire.

When both sides were within range of one another, Grievous barked out an order to his fleet.

"Fire!"

And so they did.

Red plasma bolts from the Confederate side flew across the void between them. Seconds later, the Sith responded in kind. Their shields absorbed most of their blasts, but some got through. Pieces of durasteel were blasted off from the hulls of ships from both sides.

It was very clear that the Empire had better armor and firepower. But the Separatists had better shields, engines, and numbers.

Especially numbers.

The Separatist's overwhelming numbers began to whittle away at the Sith armor. Hundreds of red laser bolts slammed into the Imperial Warships and eventually wore them down. Holes were melted into their armor, and their critical systems were speared with hot plasma, causing them to ignite and create explosions that ripped them apart.

Fighters from both sides began to buzz around the ships like angry bee hives. Vulture and Tri-fighter droids zipped around and engaged in dogfights with the Sith Star-fighters. Literally thousands of fighters were caught in a dance of death for control of the skies.

But those skies were swiftly being put under control. The Sith warships began to pull away from the battle line and move towards a new position.

"Sir, the enemy fleet is falling back. The way to the surface is clear!" One droid called out.

"Begin landing our troops!" Grievous ordered while pointing to the planet below. "We'll deploy at this open field three klicks from the outer wall and attack the city directly".

All across the fleet, Separatist fighters and landing craft, their wings packed to the brim with AAT and MTT tanks and battle droids of all kinds, began to fly to the surface, while the two fleets continued to hammer away at each other from a distance that was decreasing rapidly.

Dooku stood up from the command chair and began to walk out the door. He turned to Grievous. "General, I want you to stay up here and deal with the enemy naval forces, and direct the ground forces from up here. I will go to the surface... and deal with these ' _exiles_ '," Dooku said as he stepped off of the bridge with several Magnaguards following him.

"Yes, my lord," Grievous said before Dooku stepped off of the bridge.

Grievous turned just in time to see an Imperial Star-Destroyer ram straight into a Separatist frigate, cleaving it in two before causing a powerful explosion.

Fighting the Empire was going to become harder the closer to defeat it got.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Outer wall of Kaas City_.

Hundreds of Imperial Troopers lined up on the wall, and waited.

It was the calm before the storm. Quite possibly the worst part of war. Sith warriors and Stormtroopers of the Ancient Sith Empire looked out and watched the dark gray storm clouds forming over the landscape. A landscape that their ancestors conquered, tamed, and exploited for the creation of the Empire's great cities and fleets, which were all over the system. They would all die before that glorious legacy was quashed by a Sith Lord wannabe.

Suddenly, the storm clouds began to crackle with purple lighting. Thundering booms rumbled across the region. That's when they saw tiny shapes coming down from the sky. Hundreds of droid fighters and bombers flew towards the city.

Heavy cannons began to cut loose with a barrage of heavy fire. Thick clouds of ged glowing flak filled the skies. Many Separatist fighters were blasted out of the Sky, where they spun out of control and crashed into the jungle below. Smoke columns rose up over the tree tops. Several more vultures crashed into the wall. A group of soldiers were knocked off of the top of the wall by a vulture that plowed into the them, before crashing behind the wall and exploding.

But them the hyena bombers flew by. Proton bombs were fired from their bomb bay doors, before they slammed into the hardened bunkers on top of, and at the base of the wall. Explosions rooted the wall.

Sith Star-fighters and AA guns tried to stop the swarm of fighters. But despite their valiant efforts, many Separatist fighters and bombers got through. Explosions blossomed from the city streets, and many buildings were blasted open. Fires continued to rage and belch columns of smoke up into the air, darkening the city's skyline.

But despite the damage inflicted on the Sith, they all held firm.

They had too, as the Separatist landing craft began to land in a field a couple miles from the outer wall.

It wouldn't be too long now.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Separatist Landing Zone, outside Kaas City_.

Heavy cannon fire from the city cut loose and sent red bolts of pure energy down range in the direction of the Separatist landing craft. The droid passengers felt the ship vibrating beneath their feet, as heavy flak made the ship shake from the nearby bangs.

One CIS ship was hit in the wing. It wasn't blasted off, but it was damaged to the point where the wind caused it to wobble. The wing was then sheared off and it crashed into the wing behind it. The unbalanced ship then spun out of control and crashed into the jungle below, causing a huggable of fire to lick across the jungle floor. Hundreds of birds flew up all at once as their ecosystem was disturbed by the ensuing battle, which still had yet to begin.

Hyena bombers continued to fly overhead and drop their payload on the capital city, while Vulture Droids and Sith Star-fighters zipped back and forth over the skyscrapers, trying to get an advantage over the other.

The ships all eventually touched down with thud. A loud hiss was caused by decompressed air, as the large doors began to open up, causing a beam of light to shine into the dark staging area. When the door was completely open, the ramp extended and angled down into the soil. That's when the thousands of droids and hundreds of tanks emptied out the ship.

They began to march onto the city, their metal feet clanking menacingly in perfect unison.

_PLECK, PLOOCK! PLECK, PLOOCK! PLECK, PLOOCK!_

* * *

_Invisible Hand._

Grievous watched as holographic landing craft touched down on the map in front of him.

Tey-Zuka walked up to Grievous to give his latest report.

"Enemy naval forces are scattering. And our 2nd wave has landed. They're pushing into the city as we speak."

"Good, Tey-Zuka. We have them on the run. Continue the bombardment. One our troops take control of the city, the Imperials will be insects under our heels!"

* * *

As the droid army marched into the city, through the forest, a Geonosian ship, painted tan and brown, was coming in for a landing, amidst the explosions that blossomed across the city due to the bombardment from orbit.

It was being piloted by a gray bearded man with a black uniform and a brown cape. He was on a mission to kill the Empress, and ensure his master's position as the True Lord of the Sith.

"Find Maul and Empress Acina - no other targets matter." Dooku directed his guards. "level this city until they are found."

Dooku and his guards walked into the burning city, on their way to hunt down the fugitive Maul, and the exiles.

He would not fail.

He was all too familiar with that price.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Throne Room, Imperial Citadel_.

Darth Acina looked out over her glorious Empire.

She was clad in her form fitting skinsuit, with light armor, and draped in a cloak.

A hologram of her apprentice, a pure-blood Sith named Darth Vowrawn, was on his knees behind her with his head bowed. Acina turned around and looked down on her apprentice.

_"My master, the Separatists are upon us. They are marching through the jungle right now and will soon be upon us,_ " he said before raising his head.

"Draw them in. Call in close bombing runs to make it look like a desperate fight. Just keep them distracted. We will soon wipe these mindless creations, and their masters, off the face of our planet, and then out of the system," she said.

He lowered his head again. "Yes, my master," he said before the hologram flickered out and disappeared.

Darth Acina looked back at the battle that was within view of her throne room. More Separatist landing craft continued to land while under heavy fire from her army. A trio of Star-fighters from the Empire shrieked overhead and fired on a group of Hyena bombers, who were trying to bomb her Citadel directly. She smiled when she saw them get hit, before trailing smoke and spinning put of control. That's when a volley of missiles exploded near them, releasing swarms of small droids with tiny buzz saws. The Sith fighters were ripped apart and destroyed.

One stray buzz droid handed on her balcony. It unfolded and made a threatening stance as hit extended its buzzsaws. But she wasn't amused. When the droid jumped at her, she merely lifted her hand, and an invisible force surrounded the small droid, before it floated in midair, and collapsed inward like a tin can. Then she flung it down to the streets below before looking back out over the field.

Her army was already engaged in the field.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel, Main foyer_.

After trekking through the city for about an hour, Count Dooku and a pair of Magnaguards made it to the main palace, which was the tallest building in the city. On the entire planet for that matter.

They walked across the main courtyard, which was in smoking ruins thanks to the Separatist bombardment. Corpses lay in pieces or were sprawled out on the floor. Some were hanging from ledges above them. They didn't meet any resistance as they walked through the ruins. They walked up to the door, and Count Dooku used the force to push it open.

He and his guards walked through. As they stood at attention, Dooku crouched down as if inspecting the damaged flooring. But he was actually reaching out with the force, trying to look for his prey.

"Maul was here, but I cannot locate him." He said before he looked up at the ceiling. "But I do sense a powerful presence above us. It must be Acina in the throne room. Let's move out and-"

Dooku was cut off by a violent slashing noise that made his two body guards open up like tin cans, sparks flying and wires swinging. Dooku looked back to see them being impaled.

He turned around just in time to see a dozen figures de-cloak out of no where. They were Elite Imperial guardsmen. They were armed with electro-staffs, which sparked red on both ends. Several Sith assassins jumped down from the ceiling, activating their red lightsabers and bolstering the strength of the Imperial Spec-ops unit.

"Welcome, Count. Empress Acina sends her regards." The commando, Major Odile Vaiken, the Empress' fiancé, said. "We have come to deal with you, for your transgressions against the Empire."

As the guards surrounded Dooku, he activated his lightsaber and prepared to defend himself.

"You will find that task beyond your abilities."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Invisible Hand, In Orbit above Dromund Kaas_.

General Grievous' fleet hung in orbit above Dromund Kaas, blockading the planet. A debris field of warship husks floated nearby, a testament to the Separatist Navy's capabilities, both in its leadership and its raw power.

The fleet's main batteries were aimed at the planet below. Streaks of red plasma flew down to the surface, slamming into the capital city, gutting skyscrapers and demolishing smaller buildings. The _Invisible Hand's_ gunnery crew, and those of the escorting warships, made sure to walk the bombardment ahead of their army, giving the army continuous covering fire. Sections of the outer wall were reported to have been destroyed, and droids were already pouring through and marching into the city.

Other, more smaller, Separatist flotillas bombarded other cities across the planet, or launched bombing raids on the other settlements across the system.

Tey-Zuka walked up to the General. "All gunnery decks are reloaded and recharged, Sir." He reported. "The fleet is ready to resume the bombardment on your order."

"Not yet..." Grievous said as he looked around at the debris field, "...Something isn't right." All he saw were destroyed ships. He looked at a display that showed an overlay of the Invisible Hand. It only had it's forward shields raised, just like the rest of the fleet.

He turned to his neimodian captain "Were these all of the ships that they had in orbit?" Grievous asked.

"According to intel from our probe droids, yes" the captain answered.

Grievous looked back around at the debris field. In his gut - _what was left of it anyway_ \- he felt that there was more to this image than was currently visible.

"We know that they have early warning systems, and smaller battle groups spread across the system... and yet, we've only encountered their home fleet. Why would they leave their throne world with no reserves?" Grievous asked. "Where are they?" He asked himself as he studied the wreckages around him. Then, the memory of his defeat at Bothawui hit him.

"RAISE THE REAR SHIELDS!" He shouted. "And direct the fleet to do the same."

A droid pilot did as Grievous ordered and put up an extra layer of protection around the aft section of the Dreadnought.

Just as this happened, dozens of objects materialized out of no where. They were in front of Grievous' ships, in the debris field. More were behind the CIS ships, who still had yet to raise their rear shields.

Sith warships and space stations of some kind had de-cloaked and surrounded the Separatists.

An instant later, they opened fire. Red laser bolts exploded from the barrels of the Sith cannons. They struck the CIS ships in their flanks. The small space stations were armed with anti-ship cannons and missiles. They added to the destructive power of the Sith navy, and made short work of any fighters that tried to break through.

The engines of several Confederate warships exploded. They were caught in the planet's gravity and began to lose altitude. One Munificent-class frigate that lost altitude did so right over a supply ship. It cleaved right through the part of the ship that connected the two massive semicircles. It caused a brilliant explosion that made the frigate disappear, and the supply ship sections fall towards the surface, and burn up in the atmosphere like a meteorite.

Many CIS ships were able to raise their shields and survive this deadly blow. But many weren't so fortunate.

A heavy blast rocked the ship. Several terminals sparked, and droids were sent crashing to the deck. Grievous, Tey-Zuka, and several crew members struggled to hold onto something and maintain their footing.

Grievous stared at this devastating blow and growled. He turned to the captain. "Captain. Redirect our cannons. Target those Imperial scumbags and return fire!" Grievous barked.

"They were just waiting for us. It's a trap!" The captain exclaimed.

Grievous walked up in front of the captain's chair and grabbed the armrests, squeezing them so hard that they crumpled up. The captain looked up in terror at Grievous' faceplate and gasped.

"Relay my orders, or I will find someone who will!" Grievous threatened.

The trembling captain nodded his head nervously and tapped a button on his command console. "All batteries, fire. Fire!"

* * *

_Nightbrother, Darth Maul's personal spacecraft_.

Leading the Empire's charge against the Separatist fleet was the fleet of Mandalorian warships and fighters that Maul brought with him.

"Hit the enemy fleet while their cannons are still aimed at the surface. Focus on the unshielded ships before you swarm the rest of the fleet. Then we'll close in on Grievous' flagship." Maul said over the comm to the rest of the fleet. "Once the skies are clear, the Droid armies will be nothing but target practice for our guns."

The Sith and Mandalorian fighters swarmed over the Separatist fleet, dealing critical damage to several warships.

The heavier warships were right behind them, receiving cover from several orbital defense platforms, ready to unleash their fury and might against the invaders. They closed in and started hammering away at the Confederate fleet at close range, blasting them into fiery chunks that floated out into space, or burned up in the atmosphere.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel, Main Foyer_.

Back in the Imperial palace, Dooku was fighting off a trio of Sith assassins and score of Imperial commandoes.

They attacked in waves, trying to swarm him. Some, like Major Vaiken, peppered the Count with blaster fire, while the rest moved in to strike Dooku with melee weapons, trying to keep him on the defensive. But Dooku kept moving, using his blade to expertly parry their strikes, and counter-attacking when he saw an opportunity. This tactic forced the commandoes to try and keep up. It also forced them to only attack one at a time, allowing Dooku to simply slash away at their numbers.

Several commandoes laid on the ground, their bodies smoking from the spots where Dooku slashed their armor and bodies open. The head of Dooku's latest kill, one of the assassins, rolled around on the floor. Despite their dwindling numbers, they continued to pursue Dooku through the doorway, leading into an adjacent hallway.

A second Sith assassin tried to swing his dual-ended saber at him, only to have both of his arms cut off above the elbows. The assassin screamed in pain and dropped to his knees, just as his comrades blew past him to swarm Dooku. In this wider space, the remaining commandoes fanned out to attack from several directions.

But Dooku had different plans. He raised one hand in their direction, fanned out his fingers, and shot out an array of lightning bolts that enveloped all of the commandoes. They screamed in pain as energy coarse through them, locking up their muscles and cooking their skin and organs.

When Dooku was done, he lowered his hand, and all of the commandoes dropped to the ground.

Except one: Major Odile Vaiken. He and the one of the three Sith warriors still stood

Enraged by the loss of his comrades, the spec-ops commander pressed a series of buttons on his wrist device, causing a collection of auto-turrets to appear out of the ceiling and walls. They opened fire on Dooku, forcing him to block their deadly blasts. He deflected most blasts back into the turrets, demolishing them.

The last assassin then charged at the Count, while Vaiken aimed a heavy blaster at the count, and using the weapon's secondary fire mode. A series of concussive blasts flew towards Dooku. He dashed back and to the sides to avoid the heavy blasts.

That's when Dooku blasted Vaiken with a bolt of lightning, and then used the force to throw the screaming commando into the wall head first, knocking him out cold.

When he was certain that the Count was on the defensive, the last assassin rushed towards the Count with his saber raised over his head.

"Now you die!" He shouted.

He struck at the Count, and both combatants parried each other's strikes. Then the assassin began to force dash around Dooku, allowing him to strike from all directions, trying to keep Dooku on his toes.

Dooku growled, frustrated by this assassin's stubborn fighting style, as he tried to get a lock on him.

"You are formidable, Count," the assassin said, "This will be a victory well earned."

"Know this, assassin," Dooku said before his opponent tried to jump over him again. He raised his hand towards the assassin. But before he could land a blow, he was suddenly floating in mid air above Dooku. He was surprised. "I will destroy you..." Dooku said before he used the force started to crush his opponent's neck, choking the life out of him. Then he reached for a pistol and tried to shoot Dooku, only to be slammed into the ground by him. "...Then Maul," he said said before he used the force to make him grind against the floor, which was ripped apart by Dooku's power. "...and finally, your beloved Empress." Dooku walked up to the injured Sith warrior, who was covered in bruises and had blood running down his face. Dooku pointed his blade at the assassin. "Your failed empire will be but a memory."

Then he slashed his blade across the Sith warrior's torso, cutting him in half.

When he was done, the Count dusted himself off, as if this all took no effort whatsoever. He looked around him at the corpses strewn out across the hallway. Then he looked up at the ceiling. he could feel a powerful presence above him. It wasn't Maul, so it had to be Acina.

He walked into the nearest elevator and pressed the button for that floor.

It was time to pay the false empress a visit.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Outer Wall._

Darth Vowrawn used his red lightsaber to deflect hundreds of Separatist laser blasts. Droids fell before his redirected firepower. Troopers and Sith Acolytes all around him were fighting as well.

The droid army came out of the jungle and their tanks began to fire on the wall. The trenches at the bottom were filled with Sith Troopers, who fired on the droids coming out of the forest. Many Sith acolytes used their sabers and abilities to keep the droid army at bay. Several acolytes rushed up and dried to cut several dozen droids apart. But they were overwhelmed with blaster fire, forcing them to scream in pain and drop their sabers.

Imperial tanks that were dug into the trenches in a reverse slope position, fired on the droids. Their heavy cannons ripped files of droids away like a fiery eraser. Separatist tanks that got to close were punished for their transgressions with a healthy dose of artillery fire. The tanks were gutted and began to belch fire and smoke. But the Imperial tanks began to be knocked out one by one, their turrets being blasted off before pillars of smoke rose from the turret housings.

Separatist battle droids began to march into the trenches. The Imperial stormtroopers began to fight with the droids in hand to hand combat. But they were being overrun. Droids started to plant charges on the wall below them.

Several explosions shook the wall, causing Sith troopers on top to fall over the side, plunging to their deaths.

"They've overrun the trenches. They are about to breach the wall." One Imperial officer called out.

"Get down into the streets. Draw them into the kill-zone!" Vowrawn said as he twirled his lightsaber around in his hand and jumped over the wall, and above the trenches. The heir to the Imperial throne summoned a powerful force push that sent a wave of droids flying back.

Two stormtroopers gunners in the trench, directly behind Vowrawn, stood in awe. They looked to their left and right, and saw Sith acolytes and troopers coming down from the wall to try and push the CIS back. They exited the trenches and went to join the battle. One of them ripped their repeating blaster off of its tripod and began to use it to mow down several droids.

The Sith acolytes, led by Lord Vowrawn, began to chop their way through dozens of droids. The troopers were close behind, laying down murderous fire onto the droids.

Vowrawn looked back and saw charges the CIS placed on unexploded sections of the wall. He used the force to grab the charges and throw them at an advancing MTT. The charging were tossed into the opening hatch. That's when they detonated, causing the droid to be ripped open by an explosion.

As Vowrawn led the counter-attack, Imperial artillery from the city began to fall from the above and crash into the forward echelons of the droid army.

"Retreat, retreat!" One droid officer yelled out as more plasma balls slammed into his forces.

The droid turned back into the forest to get away from the Sith forces.

"They're falling back! Victory is ours!" One Sith warrior shouted.

The troopers pumped their fists into the air and began cry out in victory.

But Vowrawn turned back towards them. "STOP!" He shouted. Everyone stopped. "This is just the beginning. Dig in and prepare for another wave. We have our work cut out for us". He said.

The troopers fell back into the trenches, or onto the wall. But most of the acolytes stayed on the ground with Lord Vowrawn. They all stood there, facing the jungle. For the longest time, noting happened. They just stared at an unwelcoming jungle.

That's when they began to hear the faint sounds of clanking coming from the forest. The sound got louder and louder, which only meant one thing.

Vowrawn placed his button on the activation switch. When the droids came into view, he activated his saber. His acolytes did the same. The Imperial troopers were ready to jump out of their trenches. Vowrawn raised his blade in the air and then pointed it to the advancing droids.

"ATTACK!"

* * *

Darth Acina stood on her balcony, with her hands on the railing. She saw the explosions getting bigger and bigger. She could feel the booms rumbling through the ground, with the railing vibrating beneath her hands and feet.

_'It looks like my apprentice is giving them trouble'_.

But then she saw several laser bolts slam into the streets below. Buildings were blasted part. Pieces of stone and shrapnel were blasted off of the sides of the skyscrapers, before they rained down into the streets below.

She heard painful groans behind her. Several blasters discharged. Then she heard bodies dropping. But despite the commotion, she ignored it, and continued to look out over her city.

"Darth Acina" a voice said behind her. "We meet at last."

Acina cracked a small smile, but didn't turn to face the new voice. "Hm. I see that Sidious sent you to kill me. It's a coward's tactic".

"Hm, charmed," Dooku said as he walked into the room and came to a stop. "But I'm afraid that I must inform you that your Empire's time has come."

Acina thought about that for a second. Then she allowed her cloak to fall off of her shoulders, and be reduced to a puddle of fabric on the floor. "You're right," she said before she turned around to face him, and pulled her lightsaber hilt from her belt. "The _Sith_ Empire's time _has_ come".

Dooku raised one eyebrow, while maintaining his stoic frown. He pointed his lightsaber at her.

Acina activated her double bladed purple lightsaber and spun it like a propeller around her shoulders.

Both combatants faced each other. Then they began to circle each other around the throne room, stepping over the bodies of Acina's fallen guardsmen. They stared at each other, as if daring the other to make the first move.

That's when she twirled her doubled bladed sword around and growled. Then she exploded from her position and pounced towards Dooku. He assumed a defensive stance and let him come to her. He fired an arc of lightning from his fingertips. Acina raised her blade to block the lightning as she charged. When she was close enough to Dooku, she swung her blade at him. Dooku stopped firing lightning and raised his blade to defend himself. Their blades clashed, and blue lightning crackled off of their blades, making their faces sting slightly.

The duel began.

Dooku was a defensive fighter. He chose to withdraw and allow his opponent to exert energy trying to wear him down. And then when his opponent had exhausted themselves, he would unleash a tidal wave of lightsaber strikes.

But Acina was a more aggressive fighter, both quick and light on her feet. It would be difficult for him to pin her down.

Their duel was vicious.

Whatever was the outcome, it was going to decide the future of the Sith, whether they stick to the old ways, are embrace change. Either way, it was just another example of the Sith always turning on one another. But that was the way of the Sith as decreed by their code.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Outer Wall_.

Darth Vowrawn and his forces tried their best to hold the wall, but droids continued to pour our of the jungles. Someone looked up and could barely make out the shapes of the CIS ships in low orbit. Red muzzle flashes dotted the ships. Seconds later, bolts of red plasma slammed into the outer wall, blasting holes into it.

"Retreat!" Vowrawn shouted. "Everyone, move into the streets. We'll hold them at the checkpoints". He said as he deflected another laser bolts away from him.

What was left of the outer wall's garrison abandoned their posts and retreated deeper into the city. The Droid army began to pour through the breaches in the wall, flooding the area with metal bodies.

The Droid army was winning. or so they thought.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Nightbrother, leading the counterattack against Grievous' fleet_.

The _Invisible Hand's_ weapons redirected from the planet's surface and began to fire back on the Sith fleet. The remaining Separatist warships fired back as well, targeting muzzle flashes and critical systems with incredible success. Several Imperial battlecruisers were dead in the water, but there were many more left. They continued to pound the Separatist warships into oblivion. One by one they either shut down or they exploded in a brilliant flame.

Some Separatist warships launched all of their fighters to keep the fight going. Others decided to crash into the Sith ships on suicide runs. The Sith and the CIS were in a fight that no one seemed to want to back away from.

As Maul's ship continued to lead the charge against Grievous' flagship, the remaining CIS warships started to close ranks around the flagship, creating a protective screen that keep the _Invisible Hand_ safe. The ships in front were lead by a massive Lucrehulk-class battleship. It was a giant monster, with a core ship surrounded by two giant-curved arms for hanger bays. It was blistering with guns and droid fighters, which started to swarm Maul's fleet.

Hundreds of Sith fighters, and several Mandalorian ones, were ripped apart. Maul watched as a Mandalorian corvette was caught in a tractor beam between the lucre hulk's two massive hanger arms. The ship was ripped apart by the tractor beam alone.

That's when the CIS' heavy guns unleashed a wall of turbo-laser fire, that ripped apart several cruisers and frigates on his side of the fight.

"We need to take out that battleship. All fighters, take out their tractor beams, so that our cruisers can get in closer." Maul ordered.

On his order, every fighter that was available attacked the devices that were outside of each hanger. Several dozens fighters, and a couple cruisers, were wiped out when they got too close. But then, he Shadow Collective Gauntlet fighters were able to unleash their payload onto the tractor beams. The two devices were destroyed in a brilliant explosion.

"Excellent. Now, target their critical systems. We need to get our cruisers into this fight before Grievous can reorganize his forces."

As the Mandalorian and Sith fighters held back the fighters, Maul's gauntlet fighters continued to target the ship's critical systems. They bombed the antenna array at the rear of the ship above the engine section, cutting off the ship's ability to co-ordinate it's defenses and call for help.

Then, the Death Watch bombers attacked the command tower located on top of the core section. The towers exploded. Without their command center, the ship was just one giant paper weight with guns and uncoordinated fighters.

But despite this success from Maul's ships, hundreds of more fighters began to swarm over the battle.

"The enemy fleet is trying to push back. We need to take this monster out if we want to cripple their fleet!" Maul said over the comm.

"But how, Lord Maul?" The co-pilot asked. "That battleship is one giant fortress. It just absorbs everything we throw at it."

"Lord Maul," Rook Kast, Maul's lieutenant and pilot, said. "There's an opening in the core ship. It looks like the power generator."

Maul looked at the core ship at the center of the ship and saw that Kast was right. The ship's outer hull began to open up, and a blue glowing power core was visible.

"The ship must've taken too much damage. The power core is overheating. It's trying to vent the excess heat into space. All fighters, fly down there and destroy it." Maul ordered over the comm.

Kast nodded, and flew towards the power core. Every Mandalorian fighter in the fleet began to fly towards the core ship. That' when a sudden wall of flak slammed right into the fighters. Several were ripped apart and began to spin out of control. One fighter ahead of Maul's ship disintegrated. A second one had its wing clipped, causing the ship to spin out of control and crash into another fighter, destroying both.

Maul leaned over the seat that Kast was piloting from. He pointed towards the ship. "Get below their fire." Maul ordered, just as a blaster bolt grazed their wing.

Kast obeyed, and flew the ship below their guns. Several Separatist fighters swooped down and strafed the flight of Mandalorian ships, destroying a few. Most of the remaining fighters broke off and engaged in a dogfight.

That's when Maul's ship, and two others, flew towards the core. They flew into the opening, followed by several tri-droid fighters. They fired, destroying one Mando ship.

They saw the generator now. It was two power conduits. One one the ceiling, and one on the bottom. They were both connected by a blue energy fielding. As they flew past, the co-pilot dropped the _Nightbrother's_ payload of proton bombs, which detonated against the core. The second ship did the same just before it was vaporized by the pursuing droid fighters.

The reactor detonated, and secondary explosions began to go off across the rest of the ship. The outer hull began to close up.

"Get us out of here, or we'll be trapped in here!" Maul ordered.

Kast gunned the engines, the _Nightbrother_ accelerated out of the opening in the hull, just as flames shot out of every opening in the core ship. As Maul's ship escaped, the core ship went up in a massive explosion that ripped the rest of the ship apart. The massive arms broke up and were launched in several directions, smashing into several separatist ships.

"Excellent. Now we can bring the fight to Grievous." Maul said over the comm. "All ships, attack."

Every Sith battlecruiser that was being held off by the Lucrehulk's battle group bega to advance again, firing on the Separatist warships that were in their system. The way to Grievous' ship was open, and the Sith began to close in. The noose was becoming ever tighter around Grievous' neck.

* * *

Grievous looked out over the space battle. The _Invisible Hand_ was now out in the open, surrounded by debris that used to be its escorts, which were still being torn apart by Sith warships. The rest of the fleet was behind the ship, but too far to protect it from the Sith's wrath

"GRRRrrrr! Contact the rest of the fleet. Get us out of here!" He ordered.

The bridge crew powered up the engines and they began to maneuver the ship through the debris field. With the lucrehulk destroyed, the Sith were beginning to advance unopposed. So that meant more and more ships would soon run down the _Invisible Hand_ and destroy it before it could link up with what was left of the Confederate Navy, get away from the battle.

One Harrower-class battle cruiser tried to intercept the retreating flagship. It blocked the warship's path and started to fire away at it with its broadsides. The Invisible Hand began to take fire from the Imperial cannons.

The ship began to shake violently. Droids were forced to the ground. Tey-Zuka was destroyed when a terminal exploded next to him. The neimoidian captain struggled to stay in his chair by gripping the damaged armrests that Grievous crumpled earlier. Blood dripped out of his hands from the sharpened metal.

Grievous clenched his taloned feet, keeping himself rooted into the deck. That's when he felt the ship slow down and change coarse.

"HOLD YOUR COURSE! We're getting out of this system, and we'll do it even if we have to fight our way out." Grievous ordered.

"General! Shields are at 40% and dropping rapidly." One droid called out.

"General, the last of our ships have jumped out of the system. We're on our own now!" Another called out.

"Re-route all power to the forward guns and thrusters!" He shouted before pointing at the cruiser. "Full speed ahead!"

"But sir..." one droid that was next to Grievous said. "...that's suicide".

Grievous swatted his hand at the droid, knocking its head off. He then looked around at the terrified crew members. "Any further objections?" He asked.

The droids looked at each other and began to respond to the query.

"Uhm, no".

"I don't think so".

"Nope".

"That's what I thought!" Grievous said before he looked back out the viewport. "Now ram this warship straight into the heart of that battlecruiser!"

The Invisible Hand's forward guns unleashed a hailstorm onto the cruiser that was less than half it's length, whittling the shields away, before powering on towards the battlecruiser, which stubbornly held its ground, but desperately fired its weapons.

That's when the separatist dreadnought cleaved right through the much smaller 2,500 foot cruiser. A massive explosion enveloped the cruiser and the dreadnought's bow. The Invisible Hand flew through the explosion and flew away at top sub-light speed, just as they started to take fire from the Imperial fleet behind it.

"Divert all power to the engines and rear shields. We'll link up with what's left of the fleet, and plan our next move," Grievous said.

A terminal began to chime and flash rapidly. Grievous looked down at it.

"Sir, incoming message from Darth Sidious," the captain said.

Grievous froze. Half of the fleet was demolished, and the other half was thrown out of the system. Communications with the surface just went out, the droid army was probably about to be destroyed, and Count Dooku was stranded behind enemy lines.

This was, quite possibly, the worst time to get a message from Darth Sidious.

"Put it through".

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Kaas City, outer districts, near the wall_.

Darth Vowrawn and what remained of the Sith forces in the city were nearly surrounded. His remaining troops were cut off and surrounded. He was helpless to do anything as the droid army began to march throughout the city, crushing all of the last pockets of resistance.

The Sith troopers were being encircled, and the droids were marching towards them. Sith tanks burned, and barriers were covered in dead sith troopers that had died defending them, and fires raged all around them.

The city was engulfed in smoke.

Sith troops continued to hold on, firing their blaster rifles in every direction that the droids were coming from, while shouting encouraging one-liners.

"Stand you ground!"

"For the Empire!"

"Send these junk piles straight back to the scrap heap!"

Vowrawn and his fellow sith warriors continued to deflect blaster fire back into the droid army, while slashing away at any droid that got too close. But the droids continued to advance, blanketing the Imperial positions in heavy blaster fire.

"What do we do with them if they surrender?" One battle droid asked another.

"Our orders are to take no prisoners." The droid replied to his counterpart.

As Vowrawn continued to fight for the Empire that he was supposed to inherit one day, he looked round at the men he was fighting with, and then realized that the situation was becoming hopeless.

"You all fought hard. I'm proud to call you warriors of the Empire!" He called out to his men, who all looked somber.

That's when a loud whooshing sound echoed across the city, causing everyone to look up in curiosity. That's when red turbo laser bolts began to slam into the streets all around them.

One trooper said aloud that he thought it was the Separatists, finishing them off from orbit.

But when Vowrawn saw that the blasts were hitting the CIS landing zones outside the city, and the enemy formations all around them, he realized that it wasn't the separatists at all.

"Our comrades in orbit have dealt with the Separatist Navy. We have naval support!" He called out to his warriors. Then he pointed his blade at the battered droid units that survived the bombardment. "Push forward, men. Tear them apart!"

The Imperial forces, and the Sith warriors that led them, let out a massive battle cry that shook the foundations of every building in the city, before they charged into the Separatist lines, tearing down every droid in their way.

Victory was near.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel, Throne room_.

High above the embattled surface, Count Dooku and Empress Acina were both fighting a duel to the finish. One was fighting to preserve the Sith Empire, while the other was destroying what his master perceived to be a rival.

They continued their vicious duel. That's when they were caught in a saber lock. Then they tried to use the force on each other, but ended up blasting each other across the room.

Both combatants struggled to get up and then dusted themselves off.

A light began to blink and chirp on Acina's wrist comm. She looked at it and began to cackle.

Dooku was confused. "What is it that you find so amusing, witch?"

She looked up at him with a sinister smile. Then gestured to the holo-table on the side of the room. "Take a look for yourself," she said. Dooku did, just as it turned on.

He saw images of a debris field. They had separatist ascetics and insignias. Then he saw destroyed battle droids all over the place, being piled up by the Sith troopers and acolytes that towered over them triumphantly.

"As you can see, Count Dooku, my forces have laid waste to your own." She said as Dooku continued to look at the screen with his ever stoic expression. "And now I will destroy you" she said as she charged at him.

As she swung her dual ended blade at him, he swiftly turned to her and slashed his blade through her's, cutting it into two halves, before he pushed her back across the room while using force lighting on her. She screamed in pain and skidded across the throne room floor.

She struggled and strained to get up. She got up, while trembling all the way. Acina used the force to summon her lightsaber halves. They flew into there hand and she activated both of them.

"You have impressed me, witch. You've proven to be a worthy adversary. I may not destroy your Empire today... but I can destroy you," he said as he walked over to her.

She began to cackle. "Don't be so sure," she said as a score of cloaked figures appeared out of no where. They were Sith acolytes, and force-sensitive Dark Troopers armed with blasters. Elite Warriors who would protect their Empress to their last breath. They activated their lightsabers. "Take him!" Acina ordered while pointing at Dooku, who prepared himself for what was inevitably going to happen next.

He twirled his sword in his hands and took a defensive posture. The troopers charged at him guns blazing. He deflected every shot that came his way back into the troopers, killing several of them. Some got too close and were chopped to pieces. The Dark Lord then raised his hand and fired an arc of lightning that enveloped all of the remaining troopers. They all screamed as their armor was cooked with themselves still inside, before dropping to the ground. Some were dead, while a few were still alive.

The Sith warriors charged at Dooku, stepping over their fallen troopers. They all surrounded him, readying their lightsabers to strike at Dooku.

"I am about to show you how powerful the Rule of Two has made us," Dooku said before he swiftly jumped forward and somersaulted towards one Sith warrior.

He struck at him with his saber, forcing the warrior to raise his blade to defend himself. He then began to strike back, but Dooku parried the successive strikes. Then, out the corner of his eye, he saw another Sith warrior trying to flank him. He struck at her and forced her to point her blade into the ground with his own and pushed her back. Another warrior charged from behind with his blade raised. He lifted him up with the force and threw him hard against the wall. He continued dueling another warrior and sidestepped the blow of another. He then began to parry both of their strikes at the same time. That's when he struck one across the chest and electrocuted the other one, charring her skin.

Two warriors down, two to go.

Empress Acina got back up to get back into the fight. She took her two purple lightsabers and began to strike viciously at Dooku. They got into a saber lock, but Acina kept using all of her strength to push him back. But she exhausted herself, and Dooku sent her flying back. She got up on her knees and crossed her blades in front of herself just in time to block an arc of Dooku's lightning.

He continued the lightning barrage until Acina's two remaining Sith warriors both tried to strike at him at once. They raised their blades over their heads and prepares to deliver a killing blow. Dooku then raised his hands to both of them and used lightning on them before they could strike. They screamed in pain before falling to their knees. That's when a few of Acina's remaining troopers were able to wake up and start firing stun blasts at him. He began to block them before he charged at them. Dooku slashed his blade through the neck of one trooper, and was about to deal with the rest.

But then, a battle cry caused him to turn around. It was Empress Acina. She came at him while swinging both blades at him wildly. She used her fury and might to juice up her strikes. She combined her lightning with her sword attacks, making her swords crackle. The strikes caused energy to splash passed Dooku's defenses. He dropped his sword and fell back onto the ground.

Acina smiled and walked closer to the Count. He tried to reach for his saber, but she used the force to slide the blade across the floor. Her two remaining warriors got behind Dooku. The Imperial troopers moved to surround him.

the Count was exhausted.

Acina gestured to her men to subdue him. But when two of the eight remaining troopers went to cuff him, Dooku shot up from the ground and fired an arc of lightning in front of him and behind him. The two troopers screamed as they were cooked alive, but the remaining troopers were safe behind Acina and the two warriors, who were blocking the lightning.

When he was too exhausted to keep it up, Acina's blade crackled with force lightning. She slashed her blades in an 'X' shape and launched an arc of Dooku's own lightning back at him. He was electrocuted and flown into a wall, before he hit it hard and dropped back down to the floor, finally unconscious.

Acina dropped to her knees before breathing hard.

"Your Majesty," the lead trooper said before he kneeled down to see if he could help her.

"I'm fine!" She exclaimed and waved him away. Then she pointed to Dooku. "Restrain him".

One trooper went to put special binders on Dooku.

"He's too dangerous to be kept alive!" One warrior said before he activated his blade and raised it above his head. "I say we kill him!"

Before he could drop the blade on Dooku's body, Acina force pushed him and sent him flying into a nearby wall.

The other warrior bowed. "Your Majesty, perhaps my comrade is right. He is too dangerous."

"The invaders have been defeated this time. But Sidious will be back with another invasion." Then she looked down at Dooku's shackled and unconscious body. "But right now, we have the means to bargain from a position of strength... all thanks to our new ally."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Darth Maul's quarters, aboard the Nightbrother_.

Later, with the battle over, Maul went into his quarters to meditate. He was about to seek advice from someone who could give it to him.

"It is done, Mother." He said before a green mist began to fill the room. It then took the form of his mother, Talzin. He kneeled before her and bowed his head. Dooku has been captured. And Grievous was forced to flee the system. Their forces suffered greatly. And we now have a new alliance with an exiled action of the Sith Empire."

"You have done well my son. Soon, Sidious will follow..." she said as she leaned down and reached for her son's cheek, making him look up at her, "...and together we will have our revenge."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that's part 4 folks.
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoyed.
> 
> Please leave your thoughts down in the review section. Part 5'll be right around the corner.
> 
> Until next time, This is Grubkiller, over and out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have no fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> Here's the latest chapter of this story.
> 
> Please enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Clone Wars theme plays.

* * *

_DUEL OF THE DARK SIDE! SUSPECTING THAT EMPRESS ACINA AND DARTH MAUL HAD FORMED AN ALLINACE, COUNT DOOKU AND GENERAL GRIEVOUS UNLEASHED A FULL-SCALE ASSAULT AGAINST THE EXILED SITH'S CAPITAL ON DROMUND KAAS._

_ANTICIPATING THE ATTACK, DARTH ACINA AND DARTH MAUL COMBINED THEIR FORCES, AND DEVISED A PLAN WHICH ENDED IN THE CAPTURE OF COUNT DOOKU, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DROID INVASION FORCE._

_NOW HAVING WON A MAJOR VICTORY AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES, THE RENEGADE SITH ALLIANCE ADVANCES THEIR PLAN FOR THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF MAUL'S FORMER MASTER, DARTH SIDIOUS…_

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Coruscant_.

It was a beautiful day on Coruscant.

The sky was clear of clouds. Speeders flew across the sky carrying their passengers through the never-ending beehive of Coruscant's traffic, and to their destination.

Just another day in the busy heart of the Republic.

High up above this beautiful sight, Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic was looking out over this city from his office, as he was in conversation with a holographic figure on his desk.

"Darth Maul?" The hologram of Jedi Master Mace Windu asked.

"So it would seem, master Jedi." Palpatine said as he continued to look out over the city's skyline. "The citizens who survived the blitz on Ord Mantell claim that separatist forces were raiding the planet in search of someone by that title." He said before he looked over his shoulder to look at Windu. "Could this be the 'Rogue Sith' you've been searching for?"

" _If he is, and if he and Dooku are at war with each other..._ " Windu said, ". _..then the Republic could use this intel to capture them both, and finally bring an end to this War._ "

"By all means - do whatever it takes. Whatever resources you require - Bring these villains to justice before they can inflict more harm on the galaxy." Palpatine said before Mace ended the transmission.

* * *

Mace Windu deactivated his com-link. "This just got more interesting," he said before he started to walk towards the command center.

As he walked through the ruins of Ord Mantell City, which still had large fires raging in several parts of the city, he watched as the Republic relief efforts were underway. Citizens who were injured were being carted off to field hospitals as quickly as possible. Republic Nu-class shuttles, with red crosses painted on the sides to show that they were med ships, were flying in around the clock, delivering relief supplies to the people below. Clone troopers helped maintain security, while clone engineers and tech experts helped to clear the roads and restore power to the city's electric grid and service utilities that were damaged in the attack.

He finally made it to the makeshift command center, which was where the Republic operations were directed. He found Master's Kenobi and Tiplee standing over a holo-table which displayed a map of the city.

"What do we know, Master Kenobi?" He asked, getting straight to the point.

Obi-Wan stood up and turned away from the table. Then he cross his arms over his chest before he spoke. "It's clear that the Separatist Navy passed through the system, and the Droid Army battled against a massive force of Black Sun and Pykes mercenaries here in this city, before they packed up and left. But we didn't find any evidence that Maul was here."

Master Tiplee stepped forward to put in her two credits worth. "If he or his Mandalorians _were_ here, then they must've taken extreme care to collect all traces of their existence on their way out."

"Not _all_ , Tiplee." Said a new voice. Everyone turned around to see a Twi'lek Jedi Knight, Aayla Secura, walking into the room, while carrying what looked to be a mandalorian helmet. "Commander Wolffe and his men from the 104th uncovered _this_ just outside the city wall."

The other Jedi looked at the damaged helmet with interest. It was an onyx colored Mandalorian helmet, which had a red trim around the orange visor It also had horns on the side and top. Whoever wore it obviously saw action, as the faceplate was bent and the visor was cracked.

"Mandalorians?" Mace asked, while Obi-Wan thoughtfully stoked his beard. "This confirms our intel from the Mandalore resistance that the alliance between Prime Minister Almec and the underworld is still intact."

"Which could mean that Maul is behind this somehow." Obi-Wan said.

"There's more," Aayla said before she pulled something out of a side compartment, "This helmet has a recording device, and the chip is undamaged," she said before she walked up to the holotable and plugged the chip in.

The table started to play a video that was recorded from the perspective of the helmet's owner.

Ord Mantell's city was on fire, as Separatist warships hammered away at the city from the skies. Then they saw battle droids marching through the streets, which couldn't see the helmet's user, as they were taking cover behind a damaged wall.

_"This isn't a war - it's a slaughter,"_ they heard someone on the video say.

_"He's right, Saxon."_ Someone else said.

_"I don't know what Maul's big plan is, or why it involves going into the unknown regions, but it's not working,"_ the first person in the video said. The part where he said 'Maul' and the 'Unknown regions' peaked the interests of the Jedi.

_"Rein it in, soldier."_ A third person, most likely the helmet wearer, said. _"We don't question the strategy - We ensure its success. We just have to keep the Separatists busy until Lord Maul-"_

They heard a loud crash. Then a panicked shout. _"Gah!"_

The image of the recording jerked to the left as the helmet owner turned around to see what was happening. Two massive robot arms, which crackled with energy, smashed through the wall and grabbed one of the people in the video, a Pykes mercenary.

_"AH! Help Me!"_ He begged as the arms of the B2 Grapple Droid pulled him towards the wall.

That's when Mr. Helmet owner and his Black Sun comrade blasted away at the arms constricting their Pykes friend. That's when the droid dropped the mercenary, who jumped away. Then the droid smashed through the wall.

It was a B2 Grapple Droid. The mercenaries blasted it, and tried to bring it down. But it merely stood there, before attacking, and swatting at Mr. helmet, damaging his helmet.

Then the video cut to static.

"Well, we know that Death Watch is definitely supporting the underworld, and they're definitely at war with Dooku," Tiplee said.

"But where's Maul?" Aayla asked.

Obi-wan stroked his beard thoughtfully as he mulled over the information. "In the video, one of the mercenaries said something about Maul going into the unknown regions."

"What would he want out there?" Mace Windu asked.

"Why don't we ask his followers?" Obi-Wan asked before he turned around and pressed a few buttons on the holotable. The still-frame of the video they just watched was replaced with star charts. He highlighted an asteroid field just outside of the Mandalore system. "We know that Death Watch has a supply outpost in this system. We know that Black Sun had a foothold on this planet, so Maul must've sent troops, equipment and intel here on Ord Mantell. Maul's forces could be operating out of this location to support the underworld."

All of the Jedi looked at each other. Then Mace spoke up.

"And if Maul and Dooku are at war, then that means Mandalore is a likely target for a separatist takeover," Mace said. "We need to capture both Maul and Dooku before that can happen."

"I agree. But first, we need to find out where they are" Obi-Wan said, "Master Tiplee and I will investigate that outpost, and see what comes scurrying out when we shine a light on it."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel, Kaas City, Dromund Kaas_.

" _Lord Tyranus - you disappoint me_ ," said Darth Sidious, who's hologram stood in the middle of the Throne Room.

Count Dooku was on his knees, and put in binders that bound his wrists, which hung down in front of him, and would electrocute him if he so much as breathed too hard. He was flanked by two force-sensitive Imperial troopers, while Darth Maul stood beside him. All three of them were ready to take him in the off chance that the binders failed. The Count looked down at the ground in response to his master's words, maintaining his stoic frown.

Empress Acina walked up to the hologram of Sidious, and stood between him and Dooku. She wore the tight skinsuit that hugged her athletic form quite nicely, with pieces of light armor covering her vital organs. Over that, she wore a silver cape that hung from her shoulders. A small silver headdress adorned the crown of her head, and a red gem downed her forehead, signifying her recent marriage to a young spec ops officer just after the invasion. She looked at the hologram of Sidious with her orange eyes.

"Now you see the failure of those who follow you," she said, while gesturing to Dooku. "And yet, you could not foresee the trap I had your former apprentice so graciously lay out for them. Your plans are unravelling, Sidious. Without the face of your Confederacy, it will fall apart. With your top General missing, your droid armies will collapse. Your followers will be in turmoil, and your ambitions will be crushed".

_"That only proves_ _ **their**_ _weakness, not my own,_ " Sidious snapped. " _Now what are your demands?"_

Empress Acina merely laughed.

Darth Sidious arched an eyebrow over the other underneath his hood, which still obscured his face.

"My dear delusional Darth Sidious, I don't have any demands, because you don't have anything that I cannot simply take. I only have an agenda," Acina declared, pacing around the room before looking out over the city from her balcony, before she outstretched her arms. "...and a vision for the future. First, I will execute your failure of an apprentice, for his transgressions against the Empire of the True Sith. Then, I will go to the Separatist capital, and I will stand before its parliament... and tell the mindless sheep of the Confederacy how their faithful leader was cut down by Jedi assassins while on a diplomatic mission to Dromund Kaas. Filled with rage and bloodlust, they will join our cause, and together... we will march on to Coruscant. We will burn its mighty skyscrapers to the ground, and then we shall drag the corpses of every dead Jedi out of their precious temple. With the Jedi Order and their Republic puppet masters destroyed, and the CIS under our thumb, the Sith Empire will once again rule over the galaxy that was stolen from us."

Sidious turned around as she continued to pace around the room. He had to admit, she was clever and ambitious.

She then turned away from the balcony to face Sidious' holographic figure.

"And then... with the galaxy under our control, I will hunt you down, and bring you to Korriban, where you can be executed under the eyes of our ancestors. But before I do it personally, I will be sure to thank you for all that you've done?"

" _And what's that_?" Sidious asked.

"You drove Maul under our wing, and he gave us everything we needed to take control of the galaxy," she said, full of triumph and pride.

But Darth Sidious was unamused.

" _Kill Dooku if you wish. I no longer have any use for him."_ He said coldly.

Acina chuckled before she gestured to Maul. He stepped closer to Dooku and took his Darksaber hilt off of his belt. "So be it." She said before Maul activated his saber, the black blade igniting and extending right in front of Dooku's neck. The ozone made Dooku's beard heat up and get slightly singed. "Since new apprentices are apparently _so easy_ to find when there are _only_ Two Sith allowed at any time..." Acina said, mocking the rule of two.

" _Tread lightly, Acina. This is a dangerous game you and Maul are playing..."_ Sidious warned. ". _...one that the_ _ **'old'**_ _Sith Order never seemed to win. Have you not forgotten that the Sith emperors before you have_ _ **all**_ _failed to destroy the Republic every time, and were driven into destruction and exile because of it?_ "

She shook her head and chuckled. "The Sith failed when they decided that skulking in the shadows like rodents was a good idea." She said before she pressed a button, and Sidious' hologram fizzled out and disappeared into the holotable.

"Your Majesty, what do we do with the Count?" One of the troopers asked.

Acina walked back over to the balcony and looked out over her city. "Take Tyranus to the brig and keep him under constant watch. He will be publicly executed when we prepare to reveal ourselves to the Galaxy. In the mean time, continue the clean up operations, monitor all regions outside the star cluster. We'll search every corner of the Empire for that _monstrosity_ they call a General," she ordered, referring to Grievous, who's current whereabouts were unknown.

The guards took Dooku away, while Acina continued to look out of the skyline that hung above her dominion.

Smoke columns rose from the skyline of Kaas City. The source of the smoke came from fires that raged from the piles of rubble that used to be buildings, which were now blasted apart with their roofs caved in.

Imperial construction workers assigned to the military moved in to help repair the damage after the rubble was cleared away by slave laborers. Imperial troopers stood by and kept everything peaceful (They really wanted to keep the slaves in line).

It was a clear image of how Imperial society worked. It was a hierarchy. Slave laborers were at the bottom. Citizens were above them. The next level was Military personnel, and after that it was the Sith Lords/warriors, with the Dark Council above that, with the Empress sitting on top and looking down upon her glorious society. People usually stayed in the part of the pyramid that they were born into, unless they were Sith or Military, in which case, you were set for life... unless you were a failure.

Imperial citizens were under martial law, and would come out to witness the military parade that was planned to take place within the next few days, whenever the rubble was cleared up. Too enforce this martial law, security droids set up checkpoints on every major road and intersection, while drones and squads of Imperial troopers patrolled the streets. Star-Destroyers and Battle-cruisers hovered above the city, protecting the capital city's airspace.

This entire image was in perfect view of the Throne Room.

She heard someone clearing their throat behind her. She turned around to see that it was Maul.

"Empress. We need to talk."

She looked at him for a few seconds before she answered.

"Of course, Lord Maul."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Republic Cruiser, RSV Vigilance, en route to Mandalorian Asteroid base_.

As the Republic task force, comprised of the _Vigilance_ and its escorts, moved into the edge of the asteroid field, Obi-Wan looked out over the stars, which glittered and gleamed in the background of the asteroid field.

He felt the ship humming beneath his feet, as the engines drummed on, pushing the ship forward.

But all of these noises and sights went right over Obi-Wan, for all he could think about was his history with Maul, from Naboo when he killed Maser Qui-Gon, and on Mandalore where he killed the love of his life, Duchess Satine Kryze.

These memories haunted him in his sleep, and made him uneasy about the mission ahead.

"I sense your turmoil, Obi-Wan," Master Tiplee said when she walked up behind him.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest and began to stroke his beard. "My last encounter with Maul didn't go so well," he said.

"He murdered the Duchess Satine," Tiplee said, "Someone you cared for deeply."

Obi-Wan turned towards Tiplee and looked at her. "My emotions are under control, Master Tiplee," he assured. "I will not fail you, or this mission."

Tiplee nodded in understanding, just before a series of beeps sounded off. Behind them, outside the bridge viewport, several small objects were propelled out of a launch bay. The objects flew into the asteroid field, reporting back everything that they found.

"General Kenobi," Commander Cody called out from another part of the bridge, causing both Jedi to look at the clone officer, "Probes are launched and gunships are ready to scramble on your order. If any of Maul's top lieutenants are in that asteroid field, we'll drag them out."

Both Jedi nodded, just before the sub-light engines increased their power, pushing the fleet deeper into the asteroid field.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel, Throne Room_.

"So, you wish to speak with me, Lord Maul?" Acina asked, as Maul approached her throne.

"Yes Empress. I wish to discuss the fate of our prisoner... and our future plans for the galaxy." He said as he stopped ten paces from the throne.

She motioned for him to speak.

"Empress, I understand that Dooku is guilty of horrible crimes against you and your Empire, and is just a Sith pretender..." Maul said, "But, I believe that it is within our best interests to keep him alive."

Acina raised one eyebrow over the other one when she heard what Maul suggested, while her lips were hidden behind her clasped hands. Then she started to chuckle.

Maul made a facial expression of his own. "You do not find this idea to be worth entertaining?" He asked.

"Darth Maul, that puppet of Sidious, and his army of mechanical abominations, killed 900,000 of the people who've sworn allegiance to my empire, and 18,000 of the warriors who have sworn to keep it standing. He has assaulted my empire, which means that he has tried to undermine my rule, and nearly killed the father of my future child. The fact that you are suggesting that he should be allowed to live, could be taken as an insult to my authority... for questioning my decision." Acina declared, the anger present in her voice.

Maul spoke fast.

"No insult was intended, your Imperial Majesty." He said. "But with all due respect, you don't know what kind of power my former master possesses. Even with our combined efforts, I don't know that we can hope to defeat him. But with the Count on our side... Sidious will have no hope to defeat us."

Acina was listening more closely. "And what makes you think that he will support you willingly?"

Maul smiled. "You forget, he and I were apprenticed by the same man. I am sure I will find some way to drive a rift between them."

Acina still had her hands clasped together in front of her lips, not saying a word. This proved that she was at least thinking about it. But at the same time, Maul couldn't help but feel unnerved by the anticipation of waiting for her answer.

"We are preparing to move our fleet in three days. That is when we will set out for Raxus to speak to the Confederate parliament. He is to be executed that day. If you have not convinced him to join us by then, he will be executed. But if you can, then he will find a place at our table." She offered.

Maul nodded. "Thank you, Empress." He said.

Then she leaned over in her throne and pointed at Maul. "But do not ever take this for empathy. Everything I do, I do for the expansion of the Empire, and for the power of the Sith!" She hissed.

Maul bowed his head. "Of coarse, Empress." He said before he walked out of the throne room, and started to make his way down to the detention block.

Meanwhile, Acina sat back in her throne, thinking of what maul could be up to. She summoned one of her guards, who came over to await his ruler's command.

"Double the security in the detention block and keep our guest locked down. And make sure you keep a close eye on Maul."

* * *

_Detention Block_.

Darth Maul walked down into the detention block, which had guards standing at attention every five feet. That spacing became smaller and smaller the closer he got to the cell of Dromund Kaas' most valuable and wanted prisoner.

When he was in front of the cell, the imperial guardsmen crossed the energy staffs over the door, blocking Maul's entry.

"I'm here on business for the Empress herself," he said as he waved a hand in front of their faces. "You will let me pass."

Both guards spoke in unison. "You are here on business for the Empress herself. We will let you pass."

They uncrossed their staffs and allowed Maul to walk through.

When he entered the cell, he saw the Count sitting behind an energy shield, where he sat meditating on the ground. His wrists were still bound together. He opened one eye to see that Maul had entered the room. He looked at the red-skinned Zabrak for a second before he closed it again, and went back to meditating.

The two guards that were in the cell, in front of Dooku, turned their heads and kept their eyes on Maul. But before they could do anything, he waved his hand in front of their faces before he spoke. "You will leave the Count and myself alone. We have much to discuss."

One of the two guards spoke. "We will leave the Count and yourself alone. You have much to discuss."

Then both guards walked out of the room and took up positions outside with the other guards. But one of them, the one that didn't speak at all, pressed a button on his wrist comm, alerting the guards in the detention block control center to keep an eye on the cell that belonged to Count Dooku.

Back in the cell itself, Maul began to speak to Dooku.

"I came here to make you an offer," Maul started, "While people like Grievous, and the Empress to a lesser extent, see things through a limited scope, _you_ see much more." Dooku opened his eyes and looked at Maul, his interests peaked. "You abandoned the Jedi when you understood the Sith were gaining power. Now I suggest that you abandon Sidious, and serve me."

Dooku stood up and just looked at Maul.

"Do you really believe that there is any power in the galaxy that can stand against my lord?" Dooku asked. "Ten thousand Jedi knights will try this and fail. What hope do you and Acina have? I can already see cracks forming in your alliance."

Maul had a look of anger in his eyes, but suppressed it. "I assure you... Acina is the one that allowed me to make this offer. I have her full support."

Dooku chuckled. "Oh... is that why you had to mind trick your way into this cell to speak with me?"

"The Empress will remain my ally if she wants to bring the galaxy under our heel, because Mother Talzin put me on the path that made this alliance possible. She has shown me the real power - I have seen the truth." Maul snapped, getting face to face with Dooku, only being separated by the shield. "Sidious is weaker than you realize. He sees me, Acina, and Talzin as rivals, and so he fears us. That - with our combined strength - will be his undoing."

"Our combined strength?" Dooku asked. "When Mother Talzin and I last met, she tried to destroy me."

Maul stepped back away from the shield. "Things have changed," he said as a green mist emitted from his torso and started to fill the room.

Suddenly, to the surprise of Dooku, that green mist took the form of Mother Talzin, who appeared right in front of the shield.

"Count Dooku," the witch said, "Forgive our previous disagreements. You were only following your master's will." She said as she leaned in closer to look into Dooku's eyes. "Sidious is deceiving you - as he once deceived me."

Dooku maintained his stoic stance, in an act of defiance in the face of the witch's statement.

"Then you know to betray the dark lord is folly." Dooku said.

"No, Count - to betray one's self is the ultimate defeat. Sidious seduces you with promises of power, but he already seeks to replace you." Mother Talzin explained. "Long ago, Sidious came to me on Dathomir. We exchanged secret wisdom - mingled Dark Side powers with Nightsister magics. He promised to make me his right hand, but instead he stole what was most dear to me... my own flesh and blood. My son!"

Dooku was confused for a moment. Then he was taken aback when the realization hit him.

"Maul?" He asked, raising one eyebrow over the other. "Your Son?!"

"Yes Count," Talzin confirmed before she continued explaining herself. "When Sidious realized Maul's potential, he took him from me and trained him as a Sith. When he was no longer useful, Maul was left to die." She then gestured to Maul's mechanical legs. "Look at him! Look at my son and see your own future!"

Dooku looked down at Maul's mechanical legs before he looked back at Talzin, who continued to speak.

"Sidious will betray you as he betrayed us - but I will honor our alliance should you choose to accept it." She promised. "Join us. Together we can destroy Sidious and rule the galaxy... or you can choose to die here alone," Talzin finished, before she suddenly disappeared, and the green mist disappeared back into Maul's torso.

Dooku sat down on his cot, processing everything that he was just forced to swallow.

"Hmm... i can see how this can be a lot to digest." Maul said before he turned to walk out of the cell, "I will be back to see if you've changed your mind."

Then Maul walked out of the cell. When the door was closed behind him, he saw that over a dozen force sensitive guardsmen were in the corridor around him. They all stayed in formation and stared at him through their faceplates.

Maul frowned, and prepared to reach for his Darksaber, believing that Acina had betrayed him.

But then, one of them raised his hand and presented a hologram of Darth Acina.

"Empress! This is an unexpected pleasure." Maul said.

_"Spare me the pleasantries. I saw what happened in that cell. I am deeply impressed. Do you think that Dooku was convinced?_ " She asked.

"I hope so..." Maul said, "...for all our sakes."

* * *

Later, as Count Dooku sat in his cell under heavy guard, he secretly used the force to activate a long-range locator beacon that he had placed on himself before he was captured. It began to transmit an encrypted signal of his location across the region.

Just as it was planned from the beginning.

* * *

_Scimitar, Darth Sidious' personal shuttle craft, somewhere outside the Kaas system_.

A Sith Infiltrator, with folding wings around its circular cockpit and a long bow, known as the _Scimitar_ , was flying just outside of the Empire's long-range scanners.

"It is just as you predicted, my Lord..." Grievous said as he stood behind a battle droid pilot's chair, and looked at the screen in front of him, which showed the location of a signal. "...we've traced Count Dooku's signal to Dromund Kaas' surface. He should be somewhere in or near the Citadel. What is your command?"

Darth Sidious sat down in a throne-like seat behind the cockpit.

"Engage the cloaking field." He ordered, making the droids carry out his orders. "We'll head for the Empire's early warning hub, where you will lead the assault on the station. While that occurs, I will take this ship and continue to the surface." Sidious said.

As the Scimitar flew towards the border of the system, energy began to crackle and emit from around it's hull. That's when it was cast with a light-bending aura that blended the ship in which its surroundings before finally disappearing.

The same happened with several CIS droid gunships that were following close behind.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_RSV Vigilance, near Mandalorian asteroid base_.

Aboard every ship in the Republic fleet, sirens blared throughout the corridors of every hull, alerting every trooper to rush to their battle stations. Cannons were loaded, shields were raised, and ships were gassed up and ready to fly.

Meanwhile, two Jedi, master's Kenobi and Tiplee, were joining their troopers from the 212th Attack Battalion s they loaded onto their gunships and prepared to fly out into battle.

Clone marshal Commander Cody was running alongside them, giving his latest report from the probe droids that were just launched.

"A military base hidden among the asteroids? Are you certain?" Obi-Wan asked as he looked at the report.

"No doubt about it." Cody said as they boarded the gunship, "We've detected multiple heat signatures inside the field. That has to be the base. They're in our crosshairs, and have yet to react."

"Then let's move while we still have the element of surprise on our side." Obi-wan said.

The gunships powered up and the passengers doors closed, shutting everyone in. At the same time, as the hanger doors opened up, every main gun aboard the Vigilance and its escorts rotated until they were aimed in the general direction of the asteroid base. For a second nothing happened... before the barrels of each cannon exploded, sending dozens of blue balls of plasma down range, causing dozens of explosions within the asteroid field.

Several asteroids that were being used as military installations by Death Watch broke up upon impact.

With the bombardment underway, and the hanger doors opened, several Gunships, escorted by multiple flights of Z-95 Headhunters, flew towards the asteroid field.

* * *

_Visla Keep 09, Mandalorian asteroid base_.

Onboard the Mandalorian supply base, named after Death Watch's late leader and used to supply its terrorist operations across the region, a mandalorian soldier was looking at his radar screen.

For a while, he didn't see anything as usual. That's when a proximity alarm went off as several objects started to appear on the screen in front of him. He looked at the image in front of him in shock, before he swore under his breath. Then he looked over his shoulder to get his commander.

"Commander Saxon," the trooper called out to blonde-haired super commando, who had a bandage around his head from a close encounter with a grapple droid on Ord Mantell, "We have incoming Republic ships!"

"Block their transmissions before they can scan us!" Saxon called out.

"It's too late for that, sir," the radar operator said, just as several asteroids exploded under the sudden barrage from the approaching Republic fleet, "They already know we're here!"

* * *

_Crumb Bomber, LAAT/i Gunship, en route to Mandalorian Asteroid base_.

The Republic gunships carrying the strike force continued to fly through the asteroid field in tight formation with their escorts. At the same time, the Republic battle group continued to harass the base and its surroundings with heavy turbo-laser fire.

_"The Mandalorian base is in sight, General,_ " a pilot said over the comm, " _The fleet's taken out several emplacements that were on some of the smaller asteroids._ "

Obi-Wan spoke into his wrist comm, while keeping one hand on the hand rail above him. "Signal the fleet to cease the bombardment, and bring us in closer."

" _Copy that_ ," the pilot said before the transmission cut out.

As the gunships flew closer, one of the troopers, Boil, looked out of one of the window slits in the side hatch, and took a peak at the enemy base, which was built into an asteroid that looked like half of a ring. He whistled loudly to show that he was impressed. " _Wait 'till you see this place. The base isn't just among the asteroids... It's actually built into one_."

An alarm went off in the crew bay seconds later, causing everyone inside to tense up. That's when the gunships started taking fire from some of the weapons emplacements outside of the asteroid. Then, several Mandalorian fighters flew out of the hangers, and flew towards the strike force.

" _We've got incoming enemy fire. And it looks like they're launching fighters._ " The pilot said.

The Republic escorts broke off to engage them, and not long after, the whole thing erupted into a deadly dogfight, as fighters from both sides began to zip around the asteroids, trying to tag one another with a fresh coat of plasma.

"Punch through those ships. Get us inside that hanger!" Obi-Wan barked into his comm.

In response, the pilot flew the gunship into the lead position, leading the others towards the main hanger. They didn't have to worry too much about the fighters. But when they got closer to the hanger, the enemy flak started to get thicker and thicker. Two gunships were blasted apart. A third one, the lead one, was hit in the engines and began to lose altitude.

The ship shuddered, and everyone struggled to hold on to the hand rails.

"Hold on. I'm going for a controlled crash!" The pilot shouted out as he continued to fly towards the hanger with what power he had left. The other gunships unleashed a volley of missiles, which struck the weapon emplacement protecting the hanger, fearing the path inside.

When the lead ship passed through the hanger, a pair of Gauntlet fighters were about to take off. The clone pilot pressed the trigger for the chin turrets and blasted both ships apart, before scrapping against the hanger floor.

A few dozen Mandalorians were in the hanger, and began to run for their lives in several different directions, trying to get away from the crashing ship.

When it finally came to a halt, several Death Watch commandoes tried to pry the hatch open to kill the occupants, only for half of them to be crushed when the door was blasted open from the inside out by an invisible force. The others were hacked away at by the two Jedi knights.

Behind them, troopers from the 212th began to pour out of the ship, blasting away at any Mandalorian that they could see.

"I don't sense Maul's presence," Obi-Wan said as he began to deflect laser bolts with his saber, "But let's lock this hanger down until our reinforcements arrive."

"With pleasure, Maser Kenobi," Tiplee said as she began to deflect rounds with her saber, before the two of them began to lead the troopers deeper into the station.

* * *

_Visla Keep 09, command center_.

"Commander Saxon, we've been boarded-" one of the super commandoes reported, "-Two Jedi have been spotted in hanger three. Their troopers are locking it down as we speak."

Saxon began to direct his trooper's to their duty. "Delay them as long as you can. Purge the data banks of all sensitive material." He ordered.

"Yes sir," they all shouted in unison."

"And somebody get my shuttle warmed up."

* * *

_Outside the Command center_.

"Keep pressing forward! We have to reach their command center." Obi-Wan ordered, as he and Tiplee continued to expertly deflect enemy laser blasts as they slowly advanced down the hallway.

Commander Cody and his men were close behind, working together and with the Jedi like a well-oiled machine, blasting and hacking their way through the hastily marshaled enemy resistance.

When the last Mandalorian warrior fell, the Jedi and their troopers gathered up on the door.

A pair of Cody's men, Waxer and Boil, placed charges on the door's locking mechanism before stepping back. When they detonated, the door slid open, allowing them to toss flash bangs through the door.

When they detonated, they could here the screams of deaf and blind Mandalorians. Cody and his men blasted their way into the room, killing any Mandalorian that raised a weapon towards them with lightning fast speed, before cutting down several more Mandalorians who were sitting at their posts.

The clones kept their blasters raised as they moved in to secure the room.

Cody then lowered his rifle and turned to the Jedi. "Room clear. Check the databanks and anything that may be useful." He ordered his men.

As they began to scrutinizing the terminals, the Jedi walked in. One of them was showing a hologram of Master Windu.

"Master Windu, we've managed to secure the base, and the remaining Mandalorian ships are clearing out of the sector. The situation is under control." Obi-Wan said.

_"Excellent. Did you find out where Maul's location is, or what his plans are_?" Mace asked.

Master Tiplee shook her head. "Not yet, master." She said.

Mace crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the ground. " _Hmm... let me know if you find anything. We'll continue gathering up a fleet to pursue him and Dooku in the meantime._ "

Both Jedi nodded before the transmission was cut off. They then walked up to Cody, who turned to speak with them. "We've searched their databanks. They've been purged of nearly all intel. We can't find the location of Maul's bases, or the names of his allies. We also don't know what he's planning." Cody reported.

Both Jedi crossed their arms over their chests. Tiplee shook her head, while Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Another dead end," Obi-Wan said, pessimistically.

"Not quite, general," said the voice of a clone that was walking up to them. They saw that it was a clone tech expert named Switch, who was assigned to the 212th. "I was just looking through the enemy's mission logs. We know that Maul went into the unknown regions. But what we didn't know, was that he was being followed."

Everyone looked at each other in surprise. Then they looked back at Switch. "Go on, trooper," Obi-Wan said.

"He was being followed by a Separatist fleet." Switch said before he tapped his data pad then showed everyone the screen. "This is a video recording that one of Maul's fighters from this base made. Saxon's forces were tracking the same fleet that was following Maul."

Everyone looked at the screenshot of the Separatist fleet that was on the data pad. Among the frigates, destroyers, supply ships, and battleships, one of them stood out from the rest.

"That's Grievous' flagship, the _Invisible Hand_." Obi-Wan realized.

"Which could mean that Dooku is also on board." Tiplee deduced.

"We also have a general direction that the ships were heading. We can follow that path and it could lead us straight to Dooku and Grievous, maybe even Maul." Switch said.

"Nice job, Switch," Cody complimented.

Obi-Wan turned to one of the troopers. "Contact master Windu. We know which way the Sith are traveling. And tell him to get his fleet underway as soon as possible. We'll be going in ahead of him."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Sensor Array Control Station_.

On the edge of the Kaas system, a lone space station hung amongst the stars.

The purpose that the station served was to use its sensor array to scan the region for incoming meteorites and warships. it was this station that was able to warn the system of the incoming separatist invasion, and help gather enough time to muster a defense.

The corridors were dark gray, but were illuminated with red and white lighting. Imperial guards, officers, and technicians walked throughout the ship, doing whatever their duty called for.

Suddenly, several ion blasts were fired on the station. The communications arrays were hit, as well as the shield generator for the station's hanger. They deactivated for a few seconds, causing several dozen of the station's personnel, and a lot of equipment, to be sucked out into space.

Many of the station's defenses were also down.

And with the comms out, there was no way to call for help, or warn of an impending attack.

"My lord, we've lost all power to several of our critical systems, and the defenses are down. I'm diverting several repair teams to fix the damage." A captain said to the Sith Warrior in charge of inspecting the station.

"Very well. And try to find out what hit us."

"My lord, a ship just de-cloaked and entered hanger bay 7."

"Then send a security detail there immediately, and tell all squads to fan out and protect our critical systems."

"Yes sir."

All throughout the station, technicians went to repair the damaged circuits and get the station up and running again, while a platoon of Imperial troopers rushed down to the main hanger. When they got there, they saw a ship entering the hanger. They took up position and fanned out, surrounding and training their blasters on the ship.

For the longest time, nothing happened. And the only lights in this dark hanger were coming from the lights on their rifles or their helmets.

Then the rear hatch slowly opened, and everyone tensed up, continuing to aim their rifles at the open hatch. Two of the troopers walked over to the ship, and started to look iced the hatch

Again... nothing happened.

They were about to walk up the ramp, when suddenly, a cyborg with a skull-like mask jumped down from the top of the hatch.

"Surprise!" He said before he shoved one trooper away and used one of his taloned feet to crush the second trooper's head against the deck with a sickening crunch.

When the cyborg stood to his full 7-foot height, the troopers all shook with fear.

"It's Grievous. Open Fire!"

Every trooper cut loose with a barrage of blaster fire. In response, Grievous got down on all limbs and started to spider crawl across the deck at an incredibly fast speed, trampling over several troopers on the way, laughing out loud as he did so. He then stood on his hands and swung his legs over until he grabbed the faces of two troopers. He then flipped over and smashed their faces into the ground.

The remaining troopers surrounded him and rushed to subdue him. He merely activated two lightsabers, a green and blue one, and started hacking away at any trooper that got too close to him.

He kept doing this until only one trooper remained. The trooper tried to run away, but then Grievous split his arms apart and reached for two more blades. He then jumped high into the air, and landed on top of the trooper before thrusting all four of his blades through his back.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The General laughed before withdrawing all four blades from the dying trooper

As the trooper died with a groan, several droid gunships started to de-cloak before releasing dozens of droids into the hanger. The General looked around at his assembled strike force.

That's when Sith troopers began to run into the hanger, in a desperate attempt to drive the intruders out.

But the CIS had different plans.

"ATTACK!" One of the droid commanders called out, before the droids started to open fire on the Sith troopers, and rush towards the entrance.

That's when Grievous got in front of the wall of battle droids and began to spin two of his blades in front of him like propellors, deflecting everything that was shot at him, and cutting any trooper that was dumb enough to get in the way.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The General laughed as he continued his unrelenting advance into the station.

* * *

_Imperial fleet. In orbit above Kalakar 6, Dromund system_.

" _Grand Admiral, with Count Dooku in our custody, the Confederacy will become leaderless and aimless. By tomorrow, we will set out to their capital with our fleet, and we will persuade them to join us. And then, the galaxy will know that we have returned, and the Republic will feel our wrath._ " The holographic version of Darth Acina instructed.

An Imperial admiral, a bald-headed and obese man, was standing before the hologram on the bridge of his flagship.

"It will be done, your Imperial Majesty," the Admiral said with a bow.

Just after Acina's hologram disappeared, an alarm went off.

"Admiral. We have multiple contacts coming out of hyperspace," someone called out.

The admiral was taken aback. Most of what remained of the Sith Empire was already stationed here, and there was no way the CIS would waist another wave with the way they were devastated the last time. That meant that there was something new heading their way... perhaps the Far Outsiders they skirmished with on a couple occasions.

"Battle stations!" The Admiral ordered.

Everyone rushed to their stations.

The admiral took this opportunity to look out the viewport. That's when he saw several dozen warships shoot out of hyperspace, literally right in front of him. They were gray star-destroyers with red stripes. Then he saw the emblem of the old, and hated, enemy.

_'No, not something_ _**new** _ _. Something_ _**old** _ _.'_

It was the Republic Navy.

And they outnumbered his local forces by several ships, but also outsized and outgunned them by far. His ships were in for deadly surprise.

"Oh Stang," the admiral said under his breath before blue muzzle flashes dotted the Republic fleet, and the bridge exploded around him, before he was sucked out into the crushing black void of space.

* * *

_RSV Vigilance, In orbit above Kalakar 6, Dromund system_.

Obi-Wan and Tiplee, along with Cody and several officers, were gathered around the holo-table in the back of the cruiser's command center. They were speaking to holographic versions of the Jedi Council, which was currently in session to discuss this latest development.

According to their report, they tracked Dooku and Maul to this system, only to run into a heavily militarized star system. It's owners were an enemy that was thought to be destroyed one thousand years ago: The Sith Empire.

_"How is this possible? The Sith Empire was destroyed centuries ago?_ " Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

"I'm afraid that the impossible has become reality, Master Mundi," Obi-Wan said. "This remnant of the Empire seems to have dozens, if not hundreds, of ships at their disposal, with several planets in this system heavily militarized."

"They've also built an industrial base to support it," Tiplee added, "They must've spent the last millennia rebuilding."

As the council began to talk back and forth, Yoda raised his hand to silence everyone.

That's when he spoke up.

" _Managed to rally the old enemy against us, Dooku has. Assume that Maul is allied with them as well, we must. Means to destroy the Republic through total war he does. Prepare our response we will, and stop the Sith we shall._ " He said as he tapped his cane on the floor.

" _I agree, Master Yoda,"_ Mace Windu said before his hologram turned to Obi-Wan _. "Master Kenobi, what's your situation as it stands?_ "

Obi-Wan brought up a map of the system, and highlighted the moon that his fleet managed to secure. "We came out of hyperspace over this moon. When we confirmed that it was the Sith, we engaged immediately, and drove them away. We fought off a counterattack from their Navy, which we drove back with a heavy price. But we are also planning an attack on the surface of the planet they call _Dromund Kalakar_ , which is heavily industrialized, and feeds their war machine. We're confident that if we can take that planet, and hold it, we will have broken the backs of the Sith Empire. But we need reinforcements to do it."

_"Then it's settled: Master Secura and myself will take a fleet to reinforce yours as soon as possible. More Jedi-led reinforcements will follow us in. Until then, you and Master Tiplee will do everything you can to disrupt the enemy's operations. Once we've united our forces, we'll cut a swath across the system. And then, once the Sith Empire has had it's back broken, we'll find out where Maul and Dooku are hiding, and what they're up to..."_ Mace said before he looked around at the council, _"...and we'll bring them to justice."_

The Council members nodded in agreement. Normally, they would hesitate to expand the Clone Wars, which was brutal enough as is. But this was the Sith Empire they were talking about. The ancient enemy of darkness and evil, which had to be destroyed, especially before Dooku could rally them to his side to destroy the Republic.

The time for action was now.

Obi-Wan and Tiplee bowed their heads before the hologram disappeared.

Obi-Wan then walked on the bridge of the _Vigilance_ , watching as different clones started running back and forth between their stations. As the fighters began to take off and intercept several attempts b the Imperial Navy to bomb the Republic fleet.

As his forces did battle with their's, he fond himself deep in thought.

' _I doubt that even Master Qui-Gon would have prepared for this'_.

* * *

_Imperial Sensor Array Control Station_.

Back on the Empire's early warning station, the droids were just mopping up the last pockets of Imperial resistance. In the command center, General Grievous was holding the station's captain by his throat, while a dead Sith warrior lay at his feet, with his red saber added to Grievous' collection. He laughed as he kicked his feet and struggled to get free.

"Those of you who can still stand - go back to your Empress..." Grievous said as he crushed the captain's throat with his clawed hands, and got blood splattered on his mask, "...and tell her to send more men."

"General, the station is under our control, and Republic forces have entered the system," the droid officer reported.

"Excellent," Grievous said as he tossed the body aside, "scuttle this station and prepare to evacuate. I don't want the Republic to know that we were here." He said before he looked out the window and watched as Republic and Imperial warships continued to hammer away at each other. "We will let the Jedi and the Empire have their fun."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Main Plaza, Imperial Citadel, Kaas City, Dromund Kaas_.

Ranks of Imperial troopers marched through the streets, their heavy army boots making a rhythmic sound.

_PLUCK-PLOOK! PLUCK-PLOOK! PLUCK-PLOOK! PLUCK-PLOOK!_

As the troopers marched in tight boxes, Imperial tanks and walkers followed them. Cheering crowds were gathered on either side of the street, as they applauded their glorious Imperial Army.

A hologram of Empress Acina looked out over the scene in front of her.

She smiled.

After about half an hour of parading, the Army halted in front of the Citadel. Every soldier in the each file turned to face their Empress in perfect unison, their boots echoing down the street as they stomped them onto the pavement. The thunderous sound echoed down the street in both direction.

All of the clapping and cheering from the crowds ceased. That's when everyone else turned their attention to Acina, who's hologram projected her image from the throne room balcony high above the city.

She placed both hands on the stone balcony, before she spoke into the com device, which amplified her voice across both the city, and the rest of Imperial Territory.

_"My People, sons and daughters of the Empire! On this day, as our enemy's ships burn away in orbit, as their bodies lie broken in our streets, we are once again reminded of the depths of their arrogance, and their depravity. For years we have suffered unbearable hardships. Banished by our enemies to die from disease, from famine. They scarred us, they weakened us... But that time has passed. For years we worked away on empty stomachs, slowly rebuilding our strength, our pride and our Empire... But that time has passed. We are now, once again, a powerful force to be truly feared. Our enemies tried to destroy us and our way of life. But thanks to the courageous efforts of our professional army, and your unwavering loyalty, they have failed."_

People cheered at what she said. She waited for them to stop.

_"All these years, I have been humbled by the honor to lead you. Ever, EVER onwards! From this day, till the end of days!"_

Empress Acina's people nearly lost it. They were her loyal subjects, who would go up into space to fight an asteroid with their bare hands for her. She smiled, before she raised her hand and waited or them to stop.

They stifled themselves.

_"Now is the moment that we strive to our glory, and to our destiny. And to do that, we must do what is necessary. We must cut out the disease that our enemies have tried to taint us with." She said as Count Dooku was escorted out onto the plaza in binders. People began to chant for his beheading. "With the death of one of our greatest enemies, we shall begin our glorious march to salvation and revenge!"_

Dooku was forced onto his knees with his wrists bounded behind him. The crowds continued to chant for his execution. One of the Sith warriors nearby had Dooku's lightsaber, which he took as a trophy, and that he planned to use on the Count's neck during the execution.

Darth Maul walked over to Dooku and activated his 'borrowed' lightsaber and held it to his throat.

"As your blood spreads across the steps of our Citadel, so too shall our great Empire across our galaxy," Acina said as Maul prepared to swing the sword back.

But that's when one of Acina's aids ran up to her with a report. "Your Majesty, I-"

The Empress turned around swiftly and began to stare daggers into the young officer. "Can't you see that you're ruining our moment of glory!" She hissed. She didn't realize that the loudspeaker was still on, making everyone look at her with shock as they heard this conversation. "Tell me, what is so important that you had to disrupt this execution?"

The young officer trembled with fear. "My Empress... our early warning systems have been knocked out, and a Jedi-led Armada has come out of hyperspace. They destroyed our task force over Kalakar 6, and are holding their positions. We also able to intercept their transmissions. They're calling for reinforcements from the Republic!"

"Grrr!" Acina growled as she force pushed the officer away before she seethed with anger. Then she turned to the podium to speak to her subjects, who were all stunned into silence by both her rage, and the impending Republic invasion. "The ancient enemy is upon us. It is time for us to take up arms against the Republic invaders. For The Sith Empire!"

"LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!" They all shouted repeatedly in unison.

As the army began to spread out to defend the city.

She then turned to Dooku, who had yet to be executed. "Take him back to his cell. We'll deal with him later."

* * *

_Throne Room_.

Empress Acina sat in her throne, looking at the holographic figures of Republic warships blasting their way through her defense fleet. But her forces were fighting back, making the Republic suffer heavy casualties in the process. But since then, Republic reinforcements have been pouring into the system, and have captured Dromund Kalakar... the industrial heartland for her Empire, making the situation become more dire by the hour.

"Empress, we are receiving a transmission from the Republic flagship." Someone informed.

She waved her hand, gesturing for him to put the message through.

Two holograms appeared. They were both wearing robes, which led Acina to believe that they were Jedi Masters. One was a dark-sinned man with a bald head and a stoic look that could've given Dooku a run for his money. The other was a bearded man with brown hair, who came off as cool and relaxed.

Acina leaned forward in her throne and began to address the two callers.

"I take it that you're the Jedi who're invading this system?" She asked before she started chuckling. "So tell me, what do I owe the displeasure of this call?"

The bearded Jedi bowed, before he started speaking. _"Your Majesty. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am General Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Master Mace Windu_ ," he said, gesturing to the stoic Jedi beside him. "It is our sad duty to inform you that your rule is... at an end."

Acina exploded from her seat and slammed her fist on her throne, making everyone in the room tense up. Then she pointed to the two Jedi. "You will not dictate to me, Jedi filth! My Empire is eternal!"

Obi-Wan wasn't fazed by her outburst.

" _I am afraid that it does not appear that way, your grace. You will surrender the whereabouts of Darth Maul and Count Dooku, your forces will lay down their arms, and you will submit to Republic law._ "

"We will never submit you you, Jedi Scum! We will destroy your fleet, and once we have access to Dooku's forces, and Maul's underworld resources, we will march across the galaxy, and burn your precious Temple to the ground."

Before the Jedi could be allowed to continue speaking, Acina stood up and threw one of her purple lightsabers, slicing the holo-table apart, and making the Jedi's images fizzle out and vanish.

She looked around at all of the officers, advisors, and the Sith Lords. They were all looking at her for answers.

"Lord Acina," said her apprentice and heir apparent, Darth Vowrawn. "Whatever is your order, we will follow you to the very end".

She scanned the throne room and saw only blank faces. But then she spoke.

"My loyal subjects... we, t _he true_ Sith, have spent centuries building our strength in the depths of uncharted space. Myself, and many Sith Emperors before, have patiently planned for the day when our Empire would repay the Jedi for the humiliating defeats of the past. In the time many people like you have given me and my predecessors, generations of Sith have come and gone, working hard and devoting their lives to the dream of vengeance."

Some of the listeners began to nod.

Acina continued.

"The followers of the Rule of Two have failed to stop our ascent, and now..." she said while waving her hand towards the holo-table she just destroyed. "...the Jedi want to do the same. Our ancestors escaped from these monsters, and came here, carving our destiny into the treacherous unknown. We forged a new civilization, built on strength, labor, and vengeance, while Sidious and the Jedi battled to see who was weaker. That is not our way. A true Sith is strong. We build strong civilizations from nothing. We have a military, built on the strong foundation that our society is made from. We will meet the jedi armies in array, just as our ancestors did, and drive them into oblivion."

The Imperial officers and Sith lords continued to listen, nod, and even agree with her. Even the bodyguards protecting her were infatuated by her speech. They began to clap. She waited for them to stop before continuing.

"And once we've dealt with these Jedi, we will go back to the known galaxy, and show the ancient enemy our collective might," she finally said.

Everyone stood up and gave her a standing ovation.

After a few minutes, they stopped clapping. That's when Darth Vowrawn got down on his knees and bowed before his master and Empress.

Everyone copied Vowrawn and kneeled before Empress Acina, the _True_ Lord of the Sith.

"Now, prepare our people and armies for battle. We will brace for our darkest hour. But fear not. Our cause is just. The Republic, and the chaos they represent, will be brought to heel".

They all cheered.

A few minutes later, they filed out of the room and went to their assigned tasks. When they all left, Empress Acina walked over to her viewport, in front of her command chair. She looked out over the city, which was surrounded by a thick jungle. The ability to build a city in the middle of a dense and treacherous jungle was a testament to the resolve and spirit of the Sith Empire. Something that they will need for the days to come.

She began to speak under her breath.

_"I'm right here Jedi. Come and get me"._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_RSV Vigilance_.

All four Jedi, and several clone officers, were gathered around the holo-table. They had just finished speaking to Darth Acina.

"She said that she nearly had access to Maul and Dooku's resources. They must be working together." Aayla Secura said.

"Then we have to stop them before they cause serious harm to the Republic." Mace Windu said.

They all continued to study the map.

On several planets in the Kaas system, targets were being hit by the Republic star-fighter corps. The Republic was doing this in order to disrupt the Imperial operations. The Republic also established a foothold on the surface of Kalakar 6. Clone Troopers from the 212th Attack Battalion, 327 Star Corps, and the 91st Recon Corps, walked over the corpses of Sith warriors and troopers, who lay where they died.

Imperial prisoners were rounded up.

At least those who were willing to give themselves up. Others... many others... made sure they couldn't be captured by the Republic, and experience the horrors that they've heard the Republic committing... from their masters who were deceiving them.

"Cody," Obi-Wan said, getting the clone commander's attention, "what's the situation?"

"Sir, we've made some incredible progress since we came here. We've captured Kalakar 6, and have established a foothold for our invasion. I think our next target should be Dromund Kalakar. It's the Empire's industrial nerve center, and the heart of their naval production. If we can take it and hold it 'till reinforcements arrive, then Dromund Kaas will be cut off from the rest of the system, and the rest of the Imperial Navy won't be able to replenish its own numbers." Cody said.

"It's settled then," Windu said, as he looked at the faces around him. "We'll launch a four pronged assault on the planet's surface, and hit their strongpoints. Once the planet is under our control and reinforcements arrive, we'll begin the assault on Dromund Kaas, capture the Sith, and hopefully end this war. May the force be wit us all."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Republic Gunships carrying men from the 212th Attack Battalion, en route to the surface of Dromund Kalakar_.

Over the dead landscape of Dromund Kalakar, dozens of Republic fighters and gunships, along with several assault ships, were heading for the surface under heavy fire. The Sith Army was holding a large promontory, which towered over their defenses and allowed observers to call in artillery strikes on the incoming Republic forces. There was a lack of air cover for the Sith, but they had firepower on their side, and used it effectively, forcing the Republic transports to hang back.

Republic ground units were off in the distance, taking shots at the Sith defenders.

In one of the lead Republic gunships flying over the battlefield, a bearded man was hanging on to the hand rails, whilst directing his forces through a com-link.

" _Remember, our objective is to shatter their lines...break them up...then take out any remaining pockets of resistance, one by one. And whatever you do...avoid the mountaintop gun anchoring their southern flank. A ground assault on that position is too dangerous. I repeat, leave the mountain guns to our air support_ ," said Obi-Wan.

In another gunship nearby, Clone Marshal Commander Cody was with 'A' squad. They were going to be dealing with Sith forces elsewhere, like Obi-Wan.

" _This isn't going to be an easy mission Cody. But if we stick to the plan, we'll get through this,_ " he said.

"Copy that General. See you when this is finished," Cody said, before Obi-Wan's gunship broke off with a few others.

"Commander Cody..." One of his men aid behind him.

Cody turned around to look at his men, who were getting their weapons ready for action. He saw that Lt. Waxer was speaking to him.

"...Thirty seconds to LZ sir!" Waxer yelled out over to humming sound of the gunship's engines.

"All right listen up!" Cody ordered, prompting his men to pay close attention. "I want you all to maintain squad formation, but I want plenty of space between men. Boil, when we get on the ground, I need you to-" Cody said, when the pilot cam over the comm.

"Heavy flak incoming! Brace yourselves," the pilot interrupted.

More and more puffs of red and black smoke appeared all around their ships, causing it to shake violently.

One laser bolt hit the gunship's port side.

"STANG!" Boil exclaimed.

They were hit right were the left ball turret was. The glass ball fell, with the pilot trapped inside, and plummeting to the ground.

The gunship began to trail smoke lose altitude.

"We're hit and going down. Brace yourselves!" The pilot exclaimed.

Everyone held the hand rails more tightly.

The ground got closer and closer.

That's when it hit the ground violently. The ship scraped across the surface. Everyone inside had to struggle to hang on, but a couple troopers were thrown forward like rag dolls.

The remaining ball turret snapped off from the force of the impact, causing it to fly forward and skip across the ground. The trooper inside was as intact as the ball however.

Eventually, the ship came to a steady halt on its side, a cloud trail of dust behind it.

For a moment, there was silence. But then the hatch slid open, thanks to a couple troopers opening it manually.

The surviving clones spill out of the crew bay. Some stumbled. One trooper ripped his helmet off to vomit into the rocks beneath him.

Cody and Waxer stumbled out as well.

"Achk! Waxer, what's our status?" Cody asked in a strained voice.

"Sir, the bird's waisted, the crew's dead, two of our troopers are dead, and two more are injured. But the rest of us are okay. But that's not the worst part," the clone lieutenant said.

"Oh! Do elaborate," Cody said sarcastically.

"Sir...We're right by the promontory," Waxer said.

Cody looked over the gunship to sneak a peak of the towering rock formation, from which the Sith forces were hammering Republic forces in the distance.

"Right where we're not supposed to be," Cody said.

"Sir. General Kenobi said that an assault on that rock would be impossible," Waxer reminded.

"True. But what would he do if he were in this position right now?" Cody asked him as he stared at the large rock formation.

Waxer turned back to look at the others, who were looking back at him.

"Troopers...prepare to attack".

* * *

A few minutes later, the troopers had armed themselves with the weapons and ammo that made it in the crash.

The wounded were moved under cover.

They lined up against the Gunship's belly, with Cody in the lead.

"Alright, CT's 8867 through 8869, affix grappling hooks and follow me. The rest of you stay here and prepare for covering fire," Cody ordered.

Waxer, Boil, and several other clones readied their rifles.

Cody and his three troopers prepared to move, placing hooks in their rifle barrels with cables attached to them.

They were completely silent and still.

"NOW!" Cody ordered before he and his troopers exploded from cover, sprinting as fast as they could towards the base of the rock formation.

At the very millisecond that Cody and his men charged, Lt. Waxer and the rest of 'A' squad jumped up, slammed their rifles over cover and unleashed a storm of Blue blaster bolts at the enemy stormtroopers on the ridge-line, overlooking the battlefield.

Several Sith troopers fell before they realized what was happening.

They turned their attention towards the troopers at the crashed gunship.

Red laser bolts flew towards the gunship, blasting holes into it and leaving scorch marks on the hull.

But enough troopers turned their attention to Cody's men to cause them trouble.

Laser bolts landed all around them, kicking up dust and scorching the ground.

One of Cody's troopers, CT-8868, was hit by a hail of blaster bolts. He hit the ground dead.

But before they could concentrate on Cody and his two remaining men, they disappeared behind the south end of the promontory.

"Oh Frak that was close!" One of the troopers, CT-8869, exclaimed.

"Tell me something I don't know," CT-8867 said.

"Cut the chatter and prep your ascension cables," Cody ordered.

They aimed up at the top of the rock formation.

When the hooks were in place, they held down a button on their DC-15a rifles, reeling in the cables, and thus...pulling themselves up to the top.

* * *

At the top of the rock formation, the Sith artillery emplacement was raining down fire on the battlefield.

A couple troopers were standing on guard, or helping to load the gun with more proton shells.

One of them heard a clanking noise, followed by rock crunching.

He looked in the direction of the noise and saw three hooks on the cliff. They had cables attache to them.

He walked over and saw that they were swaying from side to side.

Then the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

He aimed at one of the cables and fired.

* * *

"AAAHHHHHH!" CT 8869 screamed as his cable was severed, causing him to plummet to the rocky base below. His armor, thankfully, hid the gore for the most part.

This prompted Cody and CT-8867 to move faster.

They eventually reached the top, 8867 being the first up and over the top.

He tried to bring his rifle to bare on the sith trooper facing him, but the Sith trooper sent several blaster bolts into his chest. He fell backwards over the cliff.

Cody was the last man standing. He jumped over the cliff with his rifle and charged the lone sith trooper as baster bolts struck the cliff behind him.

The Sith trooper charged at Cody and they tried to bash each other with their rifles.

They clashed, using their rifles as blunt instruments to duel.

The sith trooper's two comrades jumped down from the gun position to help, but before they could...Cody swiftly brought his rifle stock into the troopers faceplate. The force was so great that he broke the sith trooper's neck.

The two remaining sith troopers attacked them with stun batons.

Cody blasted one in the face, killing him.

But the other on was to close for him to line up a shot. So like with the first sith trooper, he resorted to CQC...close quarters combat.

He dodged the stun stick and held his rifle up like a barbell. He brought it up into the trooper's face, forcing him to stumble back.

He fell back, and Cody moved swiftly. He pressed a button on his rifle, activating a laser bayonet. He brought it down into the sith trooper's armored abdomen.

When he withdrew his bayonet, he saw the gunner pointing the artillery piece at him.

"I have you now Republic filth," he said as his crosshairs hovered around Cody's head.

* * *

Back down by the crashed gunship, which looked like swiss cheese, Waxer and the other clones were still fighting for their lives.

A platoon of mechanized Sith infantry were advancing with several light tanks. They kept the clones suppressed with their anti-infantry weaponry.

Only Waxer, Boil, and a few other clones remained, aside from the wounded. They were pinned.

A trooper named Woolley aimed over cover to take a couple pot shots, but a blaster bolt landed a few inches in front of him.

"SHIT!" He exclaimed before slamming back against the gunship for cover. "This isn't going well".

"Yeah! No Shit!" Another clone exclaimed.

Boil moved next to Waxer.

"Waxer, if the commander doesn't take that gun down soon, we're cooked!" Boil exclaimed

"I know, I know. We've gotta hold out a little...wait," Waxer said. He pointed up at the promontory. "...Look!"

Everyone looked up. They saw the sun reflecting off of something.

Boil looked at Waxer.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked.

"Yeah, I Am. Everyone..." Waxer called out as he pointed up at the glint of light. "...Concentrate your fire on that reflection!"

The clones all aimed up at the glint of light and opened fire.

* * *

Back up on the promontory, the gunner had his fingers close to the triggers.

But before he could fire, a hailstorm of blue blaster bolts ripped him apart.

His scorching remains slumped over the gun controls.

Commander Cody was surprised, but relieved. Not to mention alive.

But, he decided, he would worry about that later.

The clone commander climb onto the gun and pulled the burning corpse out of the seat before jumping into it himself.

He turned the gun around and down towards the enemy forces on the ground.

_Alright you Sith bastards, time to give you a taste of your own medicine_.

He waved the crosshairs over the Imperial forces about to overrun his men.

* * *

Waxer, Boil, Woolley, and a few other troopers were holding the line.

But they were pinned down and running low on ammo.

Trooper Woolley's blaster was shot. It exploded in his hands and made his hands sting. He seethed in pain as he looked at his shredded guanlets.

The battle was waging fiercely around the crash site. Judging by the voices in the Clone's voices, it was desperate.

"Target 2 o'clock!"

"Two mags left!"

"Boil, talk to me!"

"I'm okay!" Boil called out to Waxer

"Watch your flank!" Another trooper called out.

"Target 9 o'clock, range, 50 meters!" A trooper said, before he turned around and looked at Woolley. He grabbed a DC-15 rifle and handed it to Woolley. "Take this and stay down!" He said before he was shot in the back of the head and killed.

"Wade's down!" Woolley called out as he cocks and locks his DC-15 and begins taking out targets from inside the wreckage. Several Sith trooper went down, but many many more took their place.

"Reloading, cover me!" One trooper called out.

"Covering!" Another trooper replied.

"Last mag!"

_Lt. Waxer throws a mag at Woolley._

"Woolley! Last mag! Make it count! Team, ammo check!"

Imperial gunships come in to support the light armor.

"There's too many of them!"

"Trapper! Last mag!" One trooper informed.

"Pick your shot, make 'em count!"

"New target, range, 80 meters!"

"Got it, got it!"

"I got three rounds left! Boil shouted out. He got up and fired his last laser bolts. They flew straight and true, spearing an Imperial trooper in the chest plate.

But then Boil is shot and wounded in the leg.

"Boil! Hang on!" Waxer called out as he dragged Boil behind cover

"Oh shit..." Boil groaned in pain as Waxer dragged him.

"Defend this position!" Waxer called out to his remaining troopers.

One by one, the trooper ran out of ammo.

And Imperial forces continued to close in on the crash site.

But just as a hope seemed lost, The cannon at the top of the promontory cut loose with a barrage of devastating firepower.

The rounds slammed right into the Imperial tanks and gunships. They all exploded. Many of the infantry weren't lucky either. They began to retreat.

The Clone looked up over cover to see what was happening. The turret at the top of the rock formation began to fire on Sith positions near the frontline, clearing the way for Republic forces in the distance to advance.

"The commander did it. They're retreating! HAHAHAHAH!" Trapper laughed out loud.

Suddenly, a series of loud booms echoed out across the sky. Republic warships, fresh from the Core Worlds, were just entering the system, unleashing gunships, star-fighters, and a storm of cannon fire on the surface.

"That's a sweet sight," Woolley said as he leaned against the hull of the wreckage.

"Yeah, you better run," Boil said, while he was on the ground. "Next stop, Kaas City."

* * *

Later, after driving the Sith back, Republic forces began to establish a foothold on the planet.

A large base with buildings, landing pads, and an outer fence with turrets, had been set up.

Gunships were landing around the clock, dropping off troopers, supplies, and viechles.

A med station had been set up for the wounded troopers.

Cody and his men have just arrived from the field. The wounded were dropped off an the landing zone, whilst the others went to the newly set up barracks.

The clone commander headed for the command center.

Along the way, other troopers saluted him as he passed.

When he got to the command center, he took his helmet off and walked into the makeshift CIC, which looked like it was hastily set up, having a holo-projector underneath a tent.

Obi-Wan and a few officers looked up from the holo-table and saw Cody coming in, who snapped a salute.

"Cody! It's good to see you," Obi-Wan said.

"Likewise sir," Cody said.

"The fighting in my sector was more difficult than anticipated," Obi-Wan said, holding up a bandaged hand. "How was it where you were?"

Cody smirked. "Heh. Routine. About what we expected".

Just another day in the Grand Army of the Republic.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_RSV Vigilance_.

All four Jedi, and several clone officers, were gathered around the holo-table. They had just finished speaking to Darth Acina.

"She said that she nearly had access to Maul and Dooku's resources. They must be working together." Aayla Secura said.

"Then we have to stop them before they cause serious harm to the Republic." Mace Windu said.

They all continued to study the map.

All across the Dromund system, the burning wrecks of dozens of Sith battlecruisers and many support ships floated lifelessly. On the other hand, Republic warships, from an Armada large enough to capture this system 3 times over, continued to tear their way towards Dromund Kaas, before plastering the surface of the planet with turbo-laser fire, just like Dromund Kalakar.

On Dromund Kalakar itself, cities burned. Buildings were blown open. Clone Troopers from the 212th Attack Battalion, 327 Star Corps, and the 91st Recon Corps, walked over the corpses of Sith warriors and troopers, who lay where they died.

Imperial citizens were rounded up.

At least those who were willing to give themselves up. Others... many others... made sure they couldn't be captured by the Republic, and experience the horrors that they've heard the Republic committing... from their masters who were deceiving them.

"Cody," Obi-Wan said, getting the clone commander's attention, "what's the situation?"

"Sir, we've made some incredible progress since we came here. We've captured Dromund Kalakar, and cut off their industrial resources. Dromund Kaas is cut off from the rest of the system, but the rest of the Imperial Navy, which still outnumbers us, is trying to take the system back," Cody said.

The holo-table showed images of Sith fleets that had been pushed away from Dromund Kaas, and deeper into the system, by the Republic, but were advancing back on the capital planet. Holographic Republic ships that were flashing were in active combat. More holographic Republic ships were hovering above Dromund Kaas itself, bombarding it from orbit. The image then zoomed in on a large dome shield protecting the capital, Kaas City.

"This is Kaas City, the capital. If we can take it and kill their leadership, then the Imperial forces will become disorganized and be easy prey for our fleet. We can maybe even get Maul and Dooku if we're fortunate enough. But it appears that Kaas City is well protected by a domed energy shield, which only protects the planet from an orbital bombardment, and heavy turbo-laser is keeping our warships from getting too close to this part of the planet."

"What about the H.O.P.E. pods?" Mace asked.

Everyone was stunned into silence for a few seconds, before the Commander finally answered.

"Yes sir."

That's when master Tiplee pointed at the map. "It appears that the turbo-laser defenses protecting the city are powered by these three generators," she said as three objects were highlighted on the holo-map, near the outer edges of the city. "Disabling at least one of them should allow our fleet to move in and provide supporting fire."

The other Jedi nodded and then looked at Cody.

"Commander, gather Ghost Company and Foxtrot Group," Windu said before studying the map, and an image of the H.O.P.E. pods., "we're going for a ride."

* * *

_Sith flagship, ISD Marauder_.

Admiral Layek Davos, a human admiral with a cybernetic eye, facial implants, and a mechanical arm - something he acquired in the recent battle against Sidious and his confederate minions - stood on the bridge of the Sith flagship, shouting orders to his subordinates.

"Target their bombers. Protect the defense platforms." Davos called out.

"Sir, there's too many of them. We can't shoot them all down-aaccckkkk!" An Imperial crewman said before he was choked with Davos' cybernetic arm.

"If we can't shoot them all down, then call in our fighter reserves to do so!" Davos exclaimed as he continued choking the crewman. "We can't allow the Republic to break through to the surface."

Before anything else could happen, an explosion ripped through the bridge superstructure, causing the ship fall out of orbit. The last thing that Davos saw before being sucked out into the crushing black void of space, were over 150 man-sized capsules zooming past the ship, some going right through the bridge.

* * *

_H.O.P.E. pods, en route to the surface_.

High Orbit Precision Entry.

That was the type of pod that the Jedi, and about 150 clones, we using to get down to the surface. It was used by commando units that needed to be dropped behind enemy lines when a gunship wasn't able to carry them.

The turbulence shook the pods around viciously.

The sensation made Obi-Wan's stomach turn as he shook around in his harness restraints, and his heart began to race harder than it ever had in all the years that he's been alive. And Anakin wasn't even here, oddly enough.

He pressed a button, activating a screen that showed the outside of the pod. He could see his other comrades' pods entering the atmosphere, covered in flames from the re-entry. It suddenly became gray outside, as they passed through the cloud cover. When the gray clouds cleared up a little, Obi-Wan was able to see the walled off capital city just below.

" _General Windu, we're 15 klicks from the surface. With this trajectory, most of us'll end up inside the city._ " Commander Cody reported.

_"Very good, commander. Everyone stand by to deploy your chutes and-_ " Windu said before heavy flak started to appear all around them. Obi-Wan could feel his pod rattling around.

" _Incoming, heavy flak!_ " Captain Gregor called out over the comm.

Several pods were incinerated as soon as they were hit.

" _We're losing pods, fast,_ " Aayla said.

"Everyone, deploy your chutes!" Mace called out.

Seconds later, dozens of pods started to deploy chutes that slowed down their descent. They even deployed thrusters that did the same. Pods were still being shot down left and right, but many more made it to the surface.

When Obi-Wan felt his pod hitting the ground, he undid his harness and force pushed the door open. When he was outside, he immediately had to start deflecting blaster bolts. The battle around him was vicious, as Sith troopers fired on the clones from buildings above, and the clones fired back wit heavy weapons.

As clones hit the ground, and buildings lit up in flames, the realization came that the fight was going to be bloody.

"Over here, General!" He heard, before looking over to see Commander Cody and Lt. Waxer waving at him. He ran over, deflecting blaster bolts as they went.

"Boy, are we glad to see you, General," Waxer said.

"Likewise, Waxer. Now, what's the situation?" Obi-Wan asked as he looked around at the bodies on the ground, and could here the screams of the wounded over the sounds of battle. he saw that four men from Cody's squad were dead, and two more were injured. "What's you situation, Cody?"

"Sir, the situation's FUBAR. Half our pods landed outside of the city, and a lot more never even made it. "I'd say that we're only at 25 percent strength inside the city. General Tiplee landed inside, but we've lost contact with her. General's Windu and Secura are outside the, trying to rally our scattered forces." Cody said. "But we have some good news: the generator we were hoping to hit is nearby. It's on the other side of this wall. Any ideas, General?"

Obi-Wan looked over the wall for a way in. Then he saw a guard tower all the way to the left of the enemy's front line, which had a blind spot, which would allow the troopers to infiltrate the facility. But then he had a better idea.

"Commander, I want two of your men to follow me, We're going to seize that tower on the enemy's right flank. I want you and the rest of the men to stay behind and provide supporting fire," Obi-Wan said.

Cody looked at the situation in front of him and then looked back at Obi-Wan. Then he nodded.

"Alright," he said before he looked at his squad. "Trapper, I want you and Woolley to stay behind and protect the wounded. Keep them under cover. Boil, Waxer, you're going with the General. Help him get to that tower on the left".

The squamates he called out nodded. "Got it, Boss." Boil said.

"The rest of you: prepare to lay out suppressing fire on my mark!" Cody said.

The troopers got into position on the window sills, ready to fire out of the building, which had served as their ' _mighty fortress_ ' since they've landed. Two men went with Obi-Wan, and prepared to charge.

Obi-Wan and Cody looked at each other.

The Jedi master reached for his saber and glanced at his two companions to the left of him. He looked up over cover. "NOW!" He shouted as he vaulted over cover, as his lightsaber made a snap-hiss sound as he ignited it.

The two clones followed, and the storm of laser blasts came next almost immediately.

With the Sith focusing on Obi-Wan and his two men, they left themselves exposed to Gregor and the others.

"SUPPRESSING FIRE!" Cody shouted, before he and his men aimed their weapons over cover, and unleashed a storm of blaster fire upon the Sith defenders. Some of the Sith turned their attention back to Cody's squad, taking the pressure off of Obi-Wan's group.

Obi-Wan continued to deflect blaster bolts back into the Sith defenders aiming at them, keeping his two clone companions safe from the enemy. They eventually made it to the tower on the enemy's right flank, which was out of the firing arc of the other enemy positions.

The three of them took cover behind a wrecked speeder.

Obi-Wan looked up at the defense tower. "Let's take them out. Now!"

Waxer and Boil prepped their grenades. They tossed them at the exact same time, aiming for the window that the Sith gunners were using to fire out of. But they weren't close enough. The grenades bounced off of the wall, just short of the window, before falling back towards the ground.

The grenades landed a few yards away, exploding. Some debris bounced off of the commandoes helmets.

"Gawh! We have to get closer to the wall!" Boil exclaimed, frustrated.

"Try again. I'll give you a hand." Obi-Wan said.

The clones nodded and reached for another grenade each. They looked at their General, who nodded. Then they tossed their grenades again. They were about to fall short again, but Obi-Wan quickly raised his hand, and reached out with the force, focusing on the two grenades. Then he made them fly straight into the bunker's window.

Then they heard screams, which were all silenced by an explosion that ripped through the top floor of the defense tower, which crumbled and collapsed, falling over, off of the wall, before crashing and shattering on the ground below.

"Follow me!" Obi-Wan said, before he ran off to the wall, with his comrades following close behind. They didn't even have to use cables or the force. The tower made a nice ramp for the three of them.

"What now, General?" Tosser asked.

Obi-Wan looked at the enemy defenders, most of whom were still trading fire with Cody's men. The rest that did notice them, were rushing towards them.

"The Jedi have breached the facility. Keep them away from the generator! We can't let their reinforcements attack the city!" One Sith trooper called out.

"You two, clear this wall, and help your men get to the front gate. I'll take care of those generators".

The two clones nodded, and went to work, blasting at the backs of the Sith troopers on the facility's perimeter. Obi-Wan jumped off of the wall and charged straight through the enemy troopers. They blasted at him, but he merely deflected their rounds back at them, before getting up close and hacking away at them.

When he was done, he went up to the generators, which were large. They pulsated with energy as they supplied power to shields all over the city, keeping the Republic forces at bay.

Not being able to find a control panel, he decided to do it the old fashioned way. He placed his saber back on his belt, before lifting both of his hands. He closed his eyes, and reached out with the force, concentrating on the four massive generators.

For a moment, he struggled, as the generators refused to budge.

That's when a new voice spoke to him. "Need a hand, Master Kenobi?" He turned to see Master Tiplee running up to him.

"Much appreciated," he said, before she came to a stop right next to him. "Together." He said before they both reached out with the force.

The generators still seemed like they wouldn't budge. Then he heard the shriek of metal, and he could feel the generators move slightly, as they protested in response to the two Jedi's combined efforts. Then, they heard the generators snap, and the energy released from the damaged reactors crackled majestically. Then there was an explosion, and then sparks began to fly out of the generators. And with one final push of the force, the generators were all ripped out of their housing.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked around. He saw Cody's men enter the facility, before fanning out to secure it. Then he saw that all of the turbo-laser blasts that he saw shooting up at the sky had suddenly ceased firing.

Suddenly, dozens of Jedi interceptors and hundreds of Clone fighters screeched overhead, unleashing their payloads on unseen targets all over the city. Then he saw gunships flying overhead, ready to deploy their clone passengers into the streets.

Obi-Wan smiled as he saw several Republic Star Destroyers, including the RSV Vigilance, punching through the load cover, before firing it's turbo-lasers at several targets across the city, while unleashing another wave of fighters and gunships.

Then felt his com-link start to chirp.

He answered it.

_"Master Kenobi!_ " Master Windu said from the com-link. " _Our forces are entering the city now. We're closing in on your position now."_

"Copy that, We'll see you soon." He said before cutting off the transmission. He then turned to his companions. "Get ready to move out. We're going to start taking this city block by block."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Imperial Citadel, Throne Room, a few days later_.

Empress Acina and her new husband, Colonel Odile Vaiken, were standing on the the balcony overlooking the burning city behind them, sharing a tender moment as they locked their lips together in a passionate, wet kiss.

Acina stood on her toes to get level with her husband, pushing her bust up against his chest, and deepening the kiss

As their tongues dueled for control of each other's mouths, Odile allowed his hands to roam his wife's body, until they rest on her voluptuous rear end. When they broke apart, they rested their foreheads against each other.

"Please, be careful out there." She requested, with her orange puppy dog eyes. "You're not allowed to fall in battle unless I say so."

"Don't worry, my beloved Empress," Odile said before he sunk to his knees, so that his head was level with her lean stomach. He continued to hold her hips as he looked up at her. "I will come back when this battle is won, and we will rule over this galaxy, so that our unborn child may experience the glorious future we are creating," he said before he kissed Acina's stomach, which didn't have a noticeable bump yet.

She smiled down at him until he broke away from her stomach and stood back up to give her one last kiss, before he turned around left, with two bodyguards closing the door behind him.

She turned around as her heart fluttered, and looked out over the embattled city, only to see the disgusting images of Republic warships clouding her line of sight.

Her stomach began to turn, and it wasn't because of the morning sickness that she's had for the past couple weeks.

Acina turned to one of her guards. "Get me in touch with Lord Maul," she ordered, causing one of her troopers to carry out her orders. She then looked down at the floor in the general direction of the prison blocks beneath her palace. "I have a task for him."

* * *

_Detention Block_.

Darth Maul walked into Dooku's cell, to see the old man already standing up, as if he was already anticipating his arrival. The guards deactivated the shield in front of Dooku's cot, but they didn't take off his wrist restraints.

"Back again, I see," Dooku said. "Has the Empress ordered that you release me, or execute me?"

"That is entirely up to you." Maul said as the guards tensed up and prepared to strike if Dooku made a wrong move.

Dooku chuckle a little. "The Empress must be desperate if she want's prisoners and enemies to fight for her." Dooku said.

"Consider yourself on parole, should you choose to accept this overly generous offer," Maul said as he reached for Dooku's lightsaber on his belt. "So what's it doing to be, Count? Allies... or death?"

Maul raised the saber between them, and activated it to make a point.

Dooku frowned as he looked at Maul. But then he looked down at his wrist restraints.

"Let's go kill some Jedi," he said.

Maul then swung Dooku's lightsaber through Dooku's wrist restraints. The freed Count then took his lightsaber out of Maul's hands.

"Wise decision." Maul said before they left the cell to go join the battle outside.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that was 'The Proxy War'.
> 
> Hope that you all enjoyed.
> 
> The next part will be right around the corner.
> 
> And please, feel free to leave your thoughts down in the review section.


	6. Last Stand of the Exiles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have ne fear, Grubkiller is here.
> 
> Hey guys and gals, this is part 6 of the re-written version of my 'Clash of the Sith Lords' story, which has elements of the Son of Dathomir story in it.
> 
> Be sure to leave your thoughts down in the review section when you're done.
> 
> And please, enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_RSV Pride of the Core, Mandator II-class Star Dreadnought_.

The _Mandator II_ -class was a powerful vessel. While a single Venator could withstand an attack from several separatist destroyers, the mandator was said to withstand an attack from a thousand, which spoke volumes about the power of this 5 mile long, wedge-shaped warship.

Developed by the Kuat Drive Yards at the beginning of the Clone Wars, these powerful dreadnoughts were ordered by Chancellor Palpatine, as a part of the newly centralized Republic navy, and were meant to smash the Confederate Navy and blockade CIS space. But since there were so few of them, they were used sparingly, to command fleets and besiege certain sectors of the galaxy.

But in the Dromund Kaas system, one Mandator II was being used for the role it was meant to play, by destroying the Republic's ancient enemy: the Sith Empire.

From here, the Jedi Council commanded the armada they brought with them to this system, and cut a deadly path of destruction across the system. Hundreds of ships had already tried to break the Republic's heavy blockade over their capital and destroy the flagship, but none have even come close to succeeding.

Any ship that the Sith threw at the Republic was cut apart by tens of thousands of turbo-laser blasts and ship-to-ship missiles. Any ship that did make it through the blockade was merely a toy to the Republic's present dreadnought, the _Pride of the Core_.

From the bridge of this mighty warship, Jedi Grand master Yoda looked outside as explosions blossomed across the system, and red and blue laser bolts crisscrossed between the two opposing fleets. Jedi-led clone squadrons and Sith-led imperial squadrons engaged in dogfights between the two sides, and even zipped around each other's warships for better control of the space battle.

The knee-high, and 900 year old Jedi master hobbled back across the bridge on his cane, and he made his way to the command center. There, he saw a holograms of master Shaak Ti and Master Plo Koon, who were leading the overall mission to take the system.

Admiral Tarkin was there as well, commanding the space forces.

" _Master Yoda_ ," Shaak Ti said with a bow. Plo bowed as well.

Tarkin merely turned and acknowledged him. But he didn't salute or bow.

"Wish to know the status of the battle, I do," he said.

A clone officer turned to the holo-table and brought up several images of the system, and the battle for control over it.

All across the Imperial system, tens of thousands of Republic troopers were pushing their way through Imperial lines, led by their Jedi generals.

"Most of the planet's from here to the edge of the system are under our control. But the majority of the system is still under Imperial control. We're holding off the Imperial Navy for now, but since they keep being replenished by an exact copy of the Star Forge, we believe that it is only a matter of time before they break through." Plo Koon said.

The Star Forge was an ancient Sith battle station from the era of the ancient Sith and the Old Republic. It was heavily armored, and used its mighty foundries to develop an endless supply of warships for the Sith Empire. How they were able to re-build an exact replica was beyond anyone on the Council.

"We still have yet to find Maul or Dooku. But we believe that they're still in this system, somewhere." Shaak Ti said.

"Hmmm, sense a powerful presence, I do." Yoda groaned as he studied the map with great interest. He then saw an image of Kaas City. It was there, that the City's garrison and the Empress' elite guard were making a vicious last stand. Master Kenobi and Windu's forces were smashing there way towards the Imperial Citadel, in the military district. Master Tiin's forces were flanking around the city to cut off the Imperials. He used his cane and pointed at the area where Windu's forces were. "Contact Master Windu. Break through to capture the Palace, tell him. Send reinforcements we will."

The Jedi nodded, and clone officers began to carry out his orders. That's when the elder Grand Master groaned, and placed a hand on his forehead.

_"What is it, Master Yoda_?" A hologram of Kit Fisto asked.

"Well co-ordinated, the enemy forces are. Guided by a powerful force user they are. Take the Citadel and end this dark influence at its source, we must."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Kaas City, Imperial Citadel's outer defenses_.

"The Republic is breaking through! DON'T LET THEM GET TO THE PALACE!"

In one of the streets just outside of the Imperial Citadel, Red and Blue laser bolts were flying back and forth. Dead Imperial Soldiers lied everywhere, and more were trying to hold their ground at the front entrance.

Sith troopers had set up heavy weapons to try and hold the Republic back. They used repeating blasters, flamethrowers, rocket launchers and grenades. But it wasn't enough. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to hold off the wave of clone troopers, tanks, walkers, and speeders that were blasting their way through the Imperial checkpoints.

Gunships flew overhead, blasting at multiple targets at a distance with volleys of air-to-surface rockets.

The Clones of the 212th Attack Battalion advanced yard by yard. They were led by four Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Aayla Secura, and Tiplee. The four Jedi moved down the street, using their lightsabers to expertly deflect multiple incoming blaster bolts. Sith troopers fell from their own blaster fire.

Buildings were blasted apart by the advancing AT-TE tanks.

Gunships flew overhead, blasting at multiple targets at a distance with volleys of air-to-surface rockets.

The Sith's situation was getting desperate. But despite their tenuous position, they didn't fall back. They held firm, for they had standing orders not to retreat under penalty of death. So they fought and died where they stood. Imperial troopers that were firing from balconies and window sills disappeared in a series of explosions that took out the face of the building.

With the district nearly clear, the four Jedi continued to lead their forces to victory.

But before they could exit the street and move onto the massive open space in front of the Citadel grounds, a rocket streaked out of nowhere, and struck the AT-TE at the head of the Republic column. It's cockpit exploded, and it's servos whined before they gave out from underneath the tank's failing weight. Several clones flew in several directions from the force of the blast.

The Jedi looked behind them to view the carnage. The column ground to a halt. Then the Jedi turned around. More Imperial troopers - no, Death Watch commandoes - had taken positions on rooftops on either side of the street. Some of them used their jetpacks to hover above, harassing the Republic column with yellow blaster fire.

Cody's men, who took some casualties, fired back and began to inflict casualties in return. Several commandoes were speared through the exposed pars of their armor. One was struck in his jetpack before he flew out of control, striking one building and exploding.

The Jedi used their lightsabers to deflect blaster fire, and used the force to make some of the commandoes come to them, where they were then cut apart at close range.

"Keep pressing forward! We have to reach the Citadel-" Mace Windu said as he continued to deflect more blaster bolts.

But before he could say anything else, a pair of familiar figures appeared right in front of them, hacking away at several clone troopers with their red and black sabers.

"Or better yet-" said the figure with a gray beard and brown cape, "-let us come to you."

The figures were Dooku and Maul.

"So it _is_ true," Obi-Wan said as he and the other Jedi assumed a defensive posture, "you two, and the empress, _are_ all working together!"

"Of coarse," Maul said. "Only our shared hatred of you could be strong enough to unite us!"

As Maul finished speaking, Dooku outstretched his arms and fanned his hands out, before he used the force to concentrate on the buildings behind him. He clenched his hands and bent his arms back towards him, and suddenly the buildings began to rumble violently. Then they began to collapse. Soon, a avalanche of debris came crashing down, sealing off the street.

The Republic convoy was blocked off from the Citadel.

"Stand down in the name of the Republic..." Windu said as he raised his saber, but outstretched his hand in the Sith's direction, "This has gone far enough, Dooku!"

"Agreed. I can promise you that your deaths _won't_ be remembered." Dooku said, before he raised his hand and unleashed an arc of blue Sith lightning at the four Jedi, forcing them to raise their lightsaber to defend themselves.

When the onslaught was finished, Dooku lowered his hands. That's when he and Maul struck. Obi-Wan and Tiplee dueled with Dooku, while Aayla defended herself against Darth Maul.

But Mace didn't enter the fight just yet. He turned to Commander Cody, who's men were still firing on the Death Watch commandoes above.

"Commander, take your men, and find another way around to the Citadel. We'll deal with these two," he said before he ran into the fight.

Cody nodded and then turned to his men, giving them silent hand signals, directing them to get the convoy moving. As the clones and tanks turned around to find another way around, Mace Windu saw Aayla struggling against Maul. She blocked and parried his attacks, but the aggressive form VII style that Maul was using was too much for her. She stumbled backwards, and when Maul had an opening, he delivered a kick to her face with his metal feet, knocking her out cold before she even hit the ground.

But before Maul could deliver a finishing strike. Mace jumped in and blocked the attack, saving the unconscious Twi'lek knight. The Jedi Master and the renegade Jedi Hunter were both locked in a saber lock, their purple and dark lights clashing.

Maul cracked a demonic smile. "Finally, a fair fight."

Windu merely looked at him with a slight frown. "Trust me Maul, you wish it was." And the fight began.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Imperial Citadel_.

On a landing pad that jutted out from the center of the Citadel, over the city, a pair of Imperial troopers were standing guard. They watched as Republic and Imperial warships continued to engage one another all around the city. The skies glowed orange from all the fires of battle, and columns of dark smoke rose into the skies, obscuring some of the naval engagements.

"First the False Sith attack with their War droids, and now the Jedi attack us with their duplicated soldiers. This is why we will win: their armies have no spirit. They can only fight us with fake soldiers."

"When will we be able to fight. I live for the day where I will finally see a Jedi before I kill it."

"You will fight when your Empress tells you to. Now be quiet and keep an eye out for any infiltrators."

That's when they heard the sound a shuttle coming in for a landing. They looked off in the distance and saw something disturbing the air. Then they saw the frame of a ship appearing out of no where. It was a ship that had folding wings and a sphere at the back of a long bow. It rotated and touched down on the landing platform. The two guards went to investigate. That's when a ramp extended from the back of a ship and a door opened.

A hooded figure wearing maroon and purple robes walked off of the ship with his hands clasped together. He walked up a small flight of stairs. The two guards blocked his path and raised their blasters.

"Halt!" One of them ordered as the figure began to raise a hand and clench his fingers.

Suddenly, an invisible force began to put pressure on their necks. They dropped their weapons and grabbed their throats as they began to suffocate. As they struggled for air, the figure casually walked passed them and went up to the door. He pressed a few buttons, and the door opened with a hiss. He walked through. The doors closed behind the figure just as the two guards collapsed to the ground... dead.

* * *

_Throne Room_.

As her new subordinates - Darth Maul and Count Dooku - led her forces into battle against the full might of the Jedi Order and their Clone army, Empress Acina sat in her throne room, which was dark from the clouds of black smoke that formed over the city. Darth Vowrawn, her apprentice and heir apparent, kneeled in front of her.

They were both using their combined power to use a force ability called ' _battle meditation_ ', a powerful force ability that allowed them to direct their armies and fleets. With a small version of the _Star Forge_ pumping out more ships for them, their army under their influence, and the new Sith Lords leading the charge against the Jedi, Acina felt confident that her Empire would emerge victorious.

Suddenly, she felt something. It was a tremor in the force. Then unfolded her legs from her meditative position, and leaned over in her throne before she held her head. "Hmm. I sense a presence - an incredibly powerful presence, nearby".

Vowrawn looked up, concerned. "What is it, my master?"

She massaged her head and tried to concentrate. Then she looked up at the large double door at the end of the throne room. "...Sidious!"

Suddenly, all of the troopers standing at attention in the room began to choke and gurgle. Then they were slammed against the walls where they were positioned all around the perimeter of the throne room

Acina and Vowrawn got up and faced the door, which opened to let a cloaked stranger walk through. When he was through, the limp bodies of every trooper in the room fell to the ground.

Acina sat up from her throne and walked over to meet Sidious halfway.

"I see you've finally decided to crawl out of hiding to do your own dirty work," Acina said.

"I must admit, I am most impressed that you were able to defeat Dooku and Grievous, and hold your own against the Jedi. You have proven to be a worthy adversary." Sidious said, his obscured face cracking a smile.

"An Empire that has been in exile for a thousand years doesn't survive with incompetent leaders. We survive, we rebuild, and we adapt, or we die," Acina said.

Darth Sidious looked passed Acina at Vowrawn, who was pacing behind his master, ready for a fight that could happen at any moment. Sidious then turned away to look outside at the dark clouds of smoke over the city, which flashed blue and red from the naval battle. "How unfortunate, that we had to come to blows. We could've ruled over the galaxy."

"But your _'Rule of Two_ ' would've reduced my followers to nothing more than cannon fodder." Acina said.

"And now... you are a RIVAL!" He exclaimed before he turned back and used the force to push both Acina and Vowrawn across the room. They hit the wall on either side of the throne.

They crushed the wall, and were pinned. They struggled to break free. But Sidious merely held his hands up to pin them there as he cackled.

Acina and Vowrawn looked at each other. They nodded. They then turned to Sidious. With all of their might, they ripped their arms off of the wall and clapped their hands together. A shockwave of force lightning came from their hands and flew towards Sidious.

He looked up and growled. He let go of Acina and Vowrawn, and tried to avoid the lightning blasts, by dashing back several feet. He did so, just in the nick of time.

When he was done, he looked at the two Sith Lords in front of him. He scowled at them and hissed. Acina activated her two purple lightsabers, and Vowrawn activated his double ended red lightsaber.

Sidious allowed a lightsaber to fly out of both sleeves and into his hands. He activated them and assumed an aggressive stance.

Acina and Vowrawn nodded at each other. That's when she went in and circled around to Sidious' right, While Vowrawn hung back.

Sidious twirled his swords around before he dashed forward and dragged his swords through the floor behind him, leaving two orange glowing cuts. Acina flipped through and the air and brought her words down on Sidious. They dueled until Sidious' back faced Vowrawn, who jumped away from the thrown and swung his blade into the fight.

Darth Sidious spun around and raised his blades just in time to block Acina and Vowrawn's blows.

All three combatants were caught in a saber lock.

As they all stood there, Sidious began to cackle maniacally.

This was just the beginning.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_District 3, near the Citadel_.

As Commander Cody and his men continued to press on down their new path, The Jedi stayed behind to deal with the Sith Lords they were after in the first place. It wasn't off to the greatest of starts. Aayla Secura was unconscious, and Obi-an and Tiplee were dueling with Count Dooku.

That left Mace Windu to fight Darth Maul.

Both duelists circled one another, before they both struck at the same time. They crossed their blades in a saber lock. They stared each other down, daring each other to make a move.

Maul pushed against Windu, making him lean back. Then Windu pushed back so that it looked like they were evenly matched. Both combatants knew that what happened next was going to be nothing less than a fight to the death, even though Mace would rather keep Maul alive for interrogation.

Both combatants broke off to circle one another. After a few long seconds of staring at each other, Maul used his aggressive Form VII fighting style to start the attack, aiming for Master Windu's head.

But Mace responds with Vaapad, a variation of Form VII that Mace invented himself. It was an aggressive fighting style that allowed Mace to channel the dark-side, while still remaining in the light.

Maul began to clash against Mace's saber, the two of them engulfing in a battle more aggressive and fast then Maul has ever seen before. Blow after parry after blow, the two of them looked like streaks of black and purple light, jumping around the street as if floating through air.

That's when Mace used the force to summon a thermal detonator from a fallen clone, and throw at Maul. The beeping detonator flew towards Maul, who ran to try and avoid the blast, which sent flaming debris in every direction. The red-skinned Zabrak was thrown into a wall, which he slammed into.

When he looked up, he saw Mace standing right above him, with his blade pointed at his throat.

Mace looked down at the defeated Sith with a frown.

"This party is over."

* * *

On the rooftops overlooking the embattled streets of Kaas City, Rook Kast and her Mandalorian warriors were doing everything they could to support the Imperial defenders on the ground, as they fought to protect everything they've built over the last ten centuries.

But as Death Watch's star-fighters, warriors, and light warships tried to slow the Republic down, Kast couldn't help but feel that the battle was lost in the back of her mind. Which was why finding Lord Maul, and ensuring his survival was of paramount importance.

They flew from rooftop to rooftop until they found the last known location of Lord Maul and Count Dooku. They saw a score of their fellow Mandalorians already dead from the Republic scum. But she decided that they could norm later, because they just found Lord maul, who was in a bit of a pinch.

She turned to her warriors.

"There's lord Maul! Ready your rockets..." she called out, while pointing at the dark-skinned Jedi about to execute him, "...and target the one with the purple lightsaber!"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Throne room_.

Back in the throne room, high above the war-torn streets of Kaas City, a vicious duel was underway. A duel that would decide the future of the Sith. Darth Sidious was facing off against Empress Acina of the Sith Empire, and her apprentice, Darth Vowrawn.

The three combatants dueled each other across the throne room. Acina and Vowrawn found this fight to be more difficult than they first thought. Sidious was using lightsaber techniques that had evolved over the years during the era of Darth Bane's order. The warriors of the order that Acina didn't stand a chance against Dooku, or Sidious.

Not alone anyway.

But Acina and Vowrawn were the most powerful warriors in the Empire. And they had Sidious outnumbered two to one. They had to use this advantage for all that it was worth.

Acina actually managed to force Sidious out of the throne room and onto the balcony. She dueled with one of her purple blades, and pushed him back. The duel went back and forth until they locked blades. It would've been a stalemate, but then Sidious thrust his second blade at Acina. Reacting quickly, she jumped back up onto the railing, and kept her balance. They both stared at each other for a split second, before Sidious heard someone grunting. He looked to his right to see Vowrawn come charging out of the throne room, with his dual-edged sword raised.

Sidious raised both of his blades to block Vowrawn's blow. He deflected it, but the blow from the giant Sith master almost sent Sidious over the edge. He flipped back over the railing and was about to plummet to the base of the building.

But before he did, he raised his hands in their direction. Then, Acina and Vowrawn felt a presence surround them and pull them off of the balcony. They grunted as they both were pulled over the railing, and were sent plummeting with Sidious.

Darth Sidious turned over and faced the ground, spread-eagling his arms and legs to slow his decent. When he was about to hit the ground of the main courtyard, he planted his feet to the ground and landed in a crouched position.

Acina and Vowrawn landed on either side of him.

He looked to either side of him at his two opponents.

Vowrawn re-activated one end of his lightsaber, and pointed it downward to try and plunge it into Sidious' head. The Dark Lord leaned back to avoid the blow, causing Vowrawn's blade to plunge into the concrete ground beneath them. Sidious reactivated both swords and swung them at Vowrawn. Acina's apprentice and heir, with his blade still plunged into the ground, reactivated the other end, blocking Sidious' strike.

With Sidious stalled, Acina tried to swing her purple sword at Sidious' unprotected flank, but then Sidious swung one blade back to block Acina. He had both opponents in a saber lock. He kicked Acina in the stomach, sending her back. At the same time, he used the force to push Vowrawn back. He swung his blades down at her, but she dashed backwards to avoid his blades. That's when Vowrawn tried to swing his dual-ended sword at Sidious, who placed one sword over his back to protect himself. Then he dashed into Vowrawn's defenses and used his elbow to bash the giant Sith warrior away.

Then he turned around just in time to see Acina jumped at him with her leg extended. Sidious leaned back to avoid the kick, and allowed Acina to jump over him.

Acina landed next to Vowrawn, and Sidious did a back flip to put a little distance between himself and his opponents. They began to circle around him, trying to attack from two directions. Vowrawn jumped up and somersaulted over Sidious, before landing at the bottom of the stairs. Sidious turned with him to keep track of him. Then he turned back in time to block an Attack from Acina. She combined her sword swings with some force pushes to force him back down the stairs into Vowrawn.

Just as Vowrawn raised his lightsaber over his head, Sidious back flipped and kicked Vowrawn away, who went flying across the plaza.

That's when Sidious deactivated his lightsabers, dropped to his knees, and let out a long and raspy sigh.

Empress Acina smiled before she jumped up and prepared to small her saber down onto Sidious. But before she landed, Sidious threw his hands forward, and sent a force blast in her direction. She went flying into a wall, which had a mural of Ancient Sith fighting Ancient Jedi. When she landed, she was put out of commission and slipped in and out of conciseness.

With Acina out of the fight, for now, Sidious turned to focus his attention on Vowrawn, who was just getting back up. He looked at Sidious with an animalistic rage in his eyes. He snarled and charged at Sidious. He swung his blade at him, but Sidious flipped over Vowrawn's blow and landed behind him. He then turned around and began to swing his double edged saber at Sidious, who merely stepped back to avoid the strikes. Then, Vowrawn spun around and brought the sword down on Sidious, who reactivated both blades to block Vowrawn.

Both combatants were in a saber lock. Sidious had a blade blocking each end of Vowrawn's. Acina's apprentice snarled and tried to push down on Sidious with all of his brutish might. But then Sidious delivered a strong kick to Vowrawn's stomach, who grunted as he doubled over. Then Sidious began to flip and spin around him, striking at him and then withdrawing, trying to disorientate the much larger warrior.

It was working, as Vowrawn was having trouble keeping up. This allowed Sidious to launch a reinvigorated offensive against him. Vowrawn struggled to keep up with Sidious and block each of his lightning like strikes.

Adina began to wake up again, and her vision came back into focus just in time to see Sidious attack her apprentice with a combination of saber strikes and force pushes. Sidious attacked him from behind with a force push, forcing Vowrawn to stumble forward. Sidious jumped over him. When his back was facing him, he pointed his sabers behind him and dashed backwards.

Vowrawn grunted when both of Sidious' blades plunged into him. Sidious cackled as his blades cooked Vowrawn's organs. When he withdrew his blades, he turned around and faced Vowrawn, before force pushing him into the plaza in front of the palace courtyard.

Acina's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull as she saw her apprentice and heir being thrown int the plaza.

"No!" She exclaimed under her breath before she ran down the stairs and past Sidious.

He let her run passed him. She jumped down into the plaza. She ran up to Vowrawn's body, and saw that he was still alive... barely.

She held his hand and looked down at him. He struggled to stay awake, as he tried to look up at her.

"M-master. I... I'm sorry. I've...failed you. I am not worthy to be your apprentice..." He said as he held her hand. He propped himself up with his elbow with what was left of his vanishing strength to look into her eyes. "Kill him. Lead our Empire to the greatness it was meant for." He said.

And with a final breath, his eyes rolled up into his head, and he collapsed onto his back, dead.

Acina squeezed Vowrawn's hand, and tears began to stream out of her eyes. She had been his master for years. He was supposed to lead the empire when she was gone. And now he was the one that was gone.

" _So far, this fight has been one to see who's ideology was superior_ ," a voice echoed out across the plaza. It belonged to Sidious. " _If you look out over the horizon, you'll see which one is failing as we speak."_

Acina looked up to see a city in flames. Smoke columns rose from the many fires that raged across the city. Heavy blaster fire and explosions echoes out across the city. Republic warships hovered above the skyline, hammering into the surface with every cannon they had. Clone and Jedi star-fighters zoomed overhead, blasting at targets that she couldn't see that she couldn't see.

Fire reflected off of the dark clouds of smoke, washing Acina and her surroundings in a dark orange.

Acina looked around to look at Sidious, her eyes focusing on him like she was a huntress. It awoke something inside of her. Something that could not be contained.

Rage.

She stood up and turned to face Sidious, who already had both blades activated. She activated both of her own.

"Dromund Kaas may fall. But if it will fall, then you will go with it. And after I destroy you... I will bring down everything that you've built". Acina hissed.

They both stared at each other for a few moments, before Acina lunged at Sidious. She swung her blades wildly, forcing Sidious to use both blades to block her strikes. After a few minutes of defending himself from her wild strikes, he delivered a kick that he had aimed at her stomach. When she was forced back, Sidious charged at her. She flipped back a few times and then stood her ground to face him before they resumed their fighting. He in turn struck back wildly, trying to force his defenses open with his sabers. Sidious thrust one of his blades forward, but Acina ducked underneath it and slashed at his ankles. He jumped up to evade her strike, and when he was exposed, she kicked him across the plaza.

Then she charged at him. When Sidious recovered, he charged back at her. But to throw him off, she launched a powerful arc of Sith lightning at Sidious. He crossed both blades in front of himself to protect against the lightning. This allowed Acina to come down hard on him with her sabers, when she was close enough. They were caught in another saber lock. But Acina wasn't planning on a stalemate. Instead, she pushed down as hard as she could, trying to force Sidious' swords onto his own face.

Sidious seemed like he was struggling, but then he pushed back, and forced Acina to lean back. Then he slid his swords over hers and burned her hands.

She screamed and withdrew from the saber lock. But then she tried to charge at him again, but Sidious gave her a full blast of lightning that overcame her. She locked up and screamed in pain. When Sidious was done, he used the force to lift her up and slam her into the walls around the plaza. Then he threw her to the ground. He walked up to her and stood over her.

She looked up at him. "I won't beg," she sneered defiantly.

"Good, then you'll save me time," he said before he plunged his blades deep into her torso, and into the concrete below.

She gasped, then she looked down at the blades in her torso. Then the life began to escape from her eyes - and from the little one growing inside of her - and she leaned back, finally dying.

Sidious withdrew his blades from the fallen empress, and looked out over the city. It was the end of the ancient Sith. This battle was its last dying breath before being cast off into the ash bin of history.

Now, all that was left for him to do was tie up loose ends, starting with Maul and the Witch Talzin.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Star Forge, Imperial Naval Foundry, Over Dromund Kaas' Moon_.

Anakin Skywalker was deflecting blaster bolts with his blue lightsaber, deflecting blaster bolts back into his enemies. He even started to duel with several Sith assassins. Even though they were no where near as powerful as Ventress, Dooku, or even Barriss, it was times like these where he missed having Ahsoka at his side.

But here he was, fighting alongside Captain Rex, and several troopers from the 501st legion in the Hanger bay of one of the largest ship factories ever built, and against the Jedi's ancient enemy no less.

"Rex, detonate those charges!"

The captain looked at Anakin. Based on his body language, he was taken aback. "But sir, we're still in the station! The fleet will rip it apart!"

"You just let me worry about the details!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Sir, Yes Sir," Rex said as he took the detonator for the charges they set earlier, and pressed the button. An explosion tore through the station, taking out the shield generators that protected the station.

* * *

Outside the station, aboard the Star-Destroyer, RSV Indomitable, Adm. Yularen watched as the protective bubble that protected the station suddenly evaporated. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.

"The shield is down, commence attack on the Star Forge!" He ordered.

"But sir, General Skywalker is still onboard." A clone officer reported with concern.

Yularen looked over his shoulder at the officer, who he could tell was knew here. He didn't know how Skywalker operated. "I'm confident that he knows that, Lieutenant."

* * *

Moments later, every turbo-laser and proton torpedo in the fleet was unleashed on the ancient station. Each salvo of fire passed through the debris fields of ships from both sides, and impacted on the hull of the station.

Explosions dotted the hull, and chunks of debris were blasted off of the station. Moments later, the sphere at the center of construction arms, containing the main reactor ignited, vaporizing the sphere, and causing the arms to be pushed out into space where they were ripped apart by secondary explosions.

With the Imperial Navy starved of reinforcements, it was only a matter of time before they were finally defeated.

Amidst the debris, a trio of Republic attack shuttles came flying out of the energy field of wreckage and back to the fleet, carrying the survivors of Skywalker's mission to the station.

"General, I think that we were cutting it a little too close back there." Rex said.

Anakin smiled and shook his head.

"Rex, you're starting to sound like Obi-Wan."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_District 3, near the Citadel_.

Even with the Empire falling apart all around them, the Jedi and the Sith's battle was only intensifying.

Maul was at Windu's mercy, and Dooku was being cornered by Obi-Wan and Tiplee. They continued to duel and parry each other's strikes, until Dooku was pressed against the mountain of debris that he brought down earlier.

Realizing that he had to get out of this spot, he unleashed a powerful arc of lightning at the two Jedi, forcing them to block the attack. As lightning crackled off of their blue lightsabers, Dooku raised a hand and used the force to pull Master Tiplee towards him.

"Come here, little Jedi..." he said before he caught her in his grasp, "...I have something to show you."

Obi-Wan reached out, in a vain attempt to save Tiplee. "NO!"

"Ack!" Tiplee exclaimed as Dooku's blade was thrust into her abdomen, piercing and cooking her internal organs.

"Master Tiplee!" Obi-Wan shouted, as tears began to well up in his eyes.

He then lunged forward to try and attack Dooku. But the Count merely used the force to levitate Tiplee's corpse, and throw her across the road, where Obi-Wan ended up getting knocked to the ground by her.

Mace Windu, who had just put Maul in binders, was about to rejoin the fight, when a volley of missiles streaked down from the rooftops. Thinking quickly, the Jedi master leapt from his position, and used the force to contain the blast of the missiles just as they impacted the street. Even though he managed to suppress the blast radius and save his fellow Jedi from destruction, the force of the blast was so much that it still sent him flying into a nearby wall, not far from Aayla Secura's still unconscious body, before falling unconscious.

Obi-Wan was all that was left, and he was kneeling down, with the corpse of Master Tiplee in his arms.

Maul, on the other hand, was just freed by one of his warriors, and Dooku was still standing. Both Sith Lords stood triumphantly over the vanquished Jedi. But just before they could move to finish off the battered Jedi, a flight of Republic gunships flew in with all guns blazing.

The Mandalorian super-commandoes fired on the approaching gunships, only to suffer heavy casualties. Clone Troopers began to repel down from the troop bays of the gunships. Before their boots even hit the pavement, they started to blast away at the Sith and their troopers.

Darth Maul and Count Dooku began to deflect blue plasma bolts from the inbound clones. As this was happening, Rook Kast landed next to Maul. "Lord Maul, Empress Acina has been reported to be killed..." Kast said, much to the surprise of Maul, "...the situatuion in this system is rapidly falling apart. We have to leave. You're fighter is ready for lift off."

Obi-Wan was able to hear this.

"They're heading for their gauntlet fighters. Don't let them escape!" Obi-Wan ordered his men, who continued to flood the street and blast away at their retreating adversaries.

The remaining Mandalorians retreated towards the _Nightbrother_ , while Maul and Dooku casually walked up the ramp.

"Don't worry, Kenobi!" Maul said as he deflected a final series of blaster bolts. "We'll be seeing each other again, soon enough!" He then reached for his com-link to radio the pilot. "Get us out of here."

As the last Mandalorian retreated into the ship, the ramp retracted back into the ship, just as it lifted off, and blasted away from the crumbling Empire.

* * *

_Citadel Courtyard_.

All throughout the system, Imperial forces were soundly defeated wherever they were encountered. Without their Empress to guide their motions with her battle mediation, the Sith Empire quickly fell apart. The Republic was now routing out the last pockets of Sith resistance wherever they popped up.

The remnants of their fleet was making a final stand over Dromund Tyne, on the other side of the system.

Pockets of Imperial troopers were putting up fierce resistance on several different planets and refusing to surrender, while Sith warriors went on suicide missions, or tried to hide, failing at both. They were usually executed on the spot.

Officers and aristocrats were committing suicide.

Imperial Special forces were trying to deny any access to sensitive information, and were even trying to set the Imperial archives ablaze, not wanting to let them fall into Republic hands. It was a last ditch, and ultimately futile attempt to resist defeat for as long as possible.

But in the courtyard outside of the Imperial Citadel, the Republic was busy setting up the occupation.

Clone troopers set up field hospitals for their troopers, and even set up relief stations for any civilians that needed food and medical attention in order to win over the hearts and minds. Imperial troopers were being marched into prison transports, their weapons and armored plating being piled up before they left.

Mace Windu was looking over the area of operations, and looked up above as Republic cruisers formed up over the city's skyline. Others were blasting away at targets in the distance, in response to the sporadic fighting far away.

He then looked down at the ground and saw the body of Darth Acina on the ground. The body of a blonde-haired Spec Ops commander laid next to her, with one arm draped over her. He had several blaster marks on his chest. Commander Cody said earlier that he was in charge of the palace defenses. He had died fighting, before ending up in the position he was in. They were lovers apparently.

Mace then looked over at his fellow Jedi.

Obi-Wan and Aayla Secura, who had an icepack held to her head, were standing over the body of Tiplee. They gave their final respects before closing her eyes, allowing her to rest in piece, and become one with the force. Mace shook his head as he looked at the scene with a hint of anguish that he immediately suppressed.

That's when a clone trooper rushed up to him, with a communicator in his hand.

"General Windu - the Chancellor would like a word." He said as he presented the holo-projector to Windu, who turned around to address it.

* * *

_Chancellor Palpatine's private yacht, undisclosed location_.

The Chancellor sat in his private quarters aboard his private yacht, speaking to a hologram of Master Windu, which emitted from his desk. Palpatine stood by the window as the conversation carried on.

"I would like to pass along my congratulations for your success in the Dromund system. We've dealt a decisive blow to the enemies of the Republic this day. Though it pains me to hear of the tragedies that have befallen many of your fellow Jedi, and your troopers."

_"Yes. We managed to route out a remnant of the Sith that have been hidden away for a thousand years. If they sided with Dooku and Maul, there is no telling what kind of damage they could have inflicted. It also appears that Count Dooku and Darth Maul are allies now, which could solve a long-standing mystery..._ " Mace Windu's hologram said, "...which is that Count Dooku is the Sith Master we have been seeking all this time, and Maul is his apprentice."

Palpatine looked over at Windu with surprise written on his face. But then he looked out the window of his quarters, and out at the stars, deep in contemplation.

"Fascinating," he finally said, "Still, is there no explanation for the war fought between the Separatists and the Underworld cartels? How can they be fighting one moment, and then allies the next?"

" _A deception, perhaps_?" Windu suggested.

"A puzzle indeed," Palpatine said. "You and your colleagues have done well with the Sith exiles, and all that you can. It is unfortunate that this opportunity to swiftly end the Clone Wars have slipped through your fingers," Palpatine said as he continued to look out over the stars, "I fear in the end it could prove disastrous for the Republic."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, that was part 6.
> 
> Hope that ya'll enjoyed.
> 
> I'll be working on the 7th, and final, part soon. Keep an eye out for it.
> 
> Until then, as always, this is Grubkiller, over and out.


	7. Showdown on Dathomir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks, Grubkiller here.
> 
> Here's the 7th and final part of this story. Parts of this story are purely fan-fiction, while others are from the canon 'Son of Dathomir' series.
> 
> Be sure to leave you thoughts down in the review section.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_EVIL ALLIANCES! DARTH MAUL OPERATES FROM THE SHADOWS, CARRYING OUT MOTHER TALZIN'S PLAN FOR REVENGE AGAINST DARTH SIDIOUS._

_AFTER DISCOVERING, AND SIDING WITH, A REMNANT OF THE SITH EMPRE AND CAPTURING COUNT DOOKU, MAUL AND THE SITH EMPRESS THREATEN TO TURN SIDIOUS'S DROID ARMY AGAINST HIM. AS THIS POWER STRUGGLE GAINS THE REPUBLIC'S ATTENTION, THE JEDI— LED BY OBI-WAN KENOBI—BOLDLY ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE ALL OF THEIR ENEMIES AT ONCE AND END THE CLONE WARS._

_AS THE JEDI ATTACK, DOOKU FIGHTS BY MAUL'S SIDE. TOGETHER THEY ESCAPE CAPTURE AND CHART THEIR COURSE FOR DATHOMIR, WHERE TALZIN AWAITS THEM. BUT UNBEKNOWNST TO MAUL, DARTH SIDIOUS AND GENERAL GRIEVOUS ARE TRACKING THEM DOWN, READY TO FORCE A FINAL SHOWDOWN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SITH..._

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Nightbrother, en route to Dathomir with Shadow Collective fleet_.

Ever since the Sith Empire fell at the hands of the Republic, Maul knew that any hope of an alliance with them to take the galaxy were immediately dashed. Now, all he had left was Mother Talzin, the underworld, and his new 'ally', Count Dooku. All three of them were key to his chances of ruling over the galaxy.

As his followers retreated through hyperspace to the planet Dathomir, Maul spoke to his top lieutenants, Saxon, Fife, and Moj, via hologram. They had all been leading the different factions against the Confederacy ever since he left for the unknown regions. And now, he wanted to see how his war against everyone was going.

It wasn't going well as his subordinates would explain.

_"Black Sun and the Pykes joined your collective on the promise of greater profits, Maul. But this is becoming your own personal crusade,"_ Moj said with concern, " _one that has cost us Zanbar, Ord Mantell, the Mandalorian asteroid outpost, and several other key bases across the outer rim._ "

" _And we no longer have your allies from the unknown regions here to help us,_ " Fife said, referring to the Sith Empire that was just destroyed for the last time. _"Perhaps your plan isn't as sure as you say_."

Darth Maul growled in frustration before pointing at the two crime lords. "You'll get paid - if that's all you want." Maul said. "In the meantime, gather your respective fleets and head to Dathomir as planned, where we will prepare for our next phase. Once Sidious is dead, and the droid forces are under our control, we will rally Hutt space to our side, by force if need be, and the galaxy will be ours for the taking."

Moj and Fife's holograms looked at each other. Then they looked back at Maul. When they both bowed in unison, their holograms disappeared. Only Commander Saxon's transmission remained active.

Maul pointed to the spots where Moj and Fifes holograms were, and then spoke to Saxon.

"Kee them in line," Maul ordered.

Saxon clenched his fist and put his arm over his chest in a salute, and bowed his head slightly. "Yes, my lord," he said before his own hologram disappeared. Darth Maul then closed his eyes, shook his head, and sighed in frustration.

"You're learning that _seizing_ control is not as easy as _maintaining_ it." Dooku said.

Maul turned his head and looked over his shoulder to look at the Count. Then he turned around to look at him face to face. As this was happening, Rook Kast was slowly pulling a blaster pistol out of her holster.

"What would you know of control, Count? Our 'Alliance' was Sidious's will all along. He has instructed you to play this game-" Maul said as Rook Kast swung an arm around Dooku's neck from behind, and used the other one to point her blaster at Dooku's head. "-But you've been outmatched."

Dooku looked at the pistol in his peripheral vision, maintaining his stoic frown. Then he was apprehended by two more Death Watch troopers before being led out of the room. But he wasn't cuffed.

But before he was escorted out of the cockpit, Dooku looked over his shoulder to take one more swipe at Maul. "I look forward to watching all of this come crashing down around you."

Maul watched as his successor by default was escorted out. He then turned around to contemplate what would happen next, just as the ship dropped ouf o hyperspace over Dathomir.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Scimitar, in orbit above Dathomir_.

"We are approaching Dathomir, my Lord..." Grievous said as he hovered over a battle droid pilot's chair, and looked at the screen in front of him, which showed the location of a signal. "...we've traced Count Dooku's signal to the surface. What is your command?"

Darth Sidious was seated in the throne-like seat behind the cockpit.

"Just as I have predicted," Sidious said before he looked at Grievous, "Jam their communications and cloak this ship from view." As the droids went to work, carrying out his orders, Sidious continued to monologue. "We will purge this witch, and all who oppose us, once and for all.

As the Scimitar flew towards the border of the system, energy began to crackle and emit from around it's hull. That's when it was cast with a light-bending aura that blended the ship in which its surroundings before finally disappearing, as if it were never there.

Far away, outside of the system, a Separatist armada was waiting to receive the word to strike.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Dathomir.

a remote, neutral planet in the Quelli sector and the home of the Nightsisters. The planet, lit red by its central star, had numerous continents that were overrun with vegetation, forests, and swamplands. It was also home too many different species such as lizards, snakes, and even the mighty and vicious rancor.

The dark side of the Force had an immensely strong presence on Dathomir, which allowed for the nurturing of many malevolent Force wielders native to the planet. The Nightsisters, also known as the Dathomir witches, made their home in the swamps, and wielded magicks fueled by Dathomir's own power. Dathomir was also home to the Nightbrothers, Zabraks who were once ruled by the Nightsisters.

But since the Clone Wars began, Dathomir became a hotbed of activity, when Mother Talzin and her followers tried to assassinate Dooku on several occasions, until they were put into the dirt by Grievous' invasion.

Now, it was going to once again, be the sight of another attempt against the Dark lords of the Sith.

At a village, home to the planet's population of Zabrak Nightbrothers, Darth Maul's ship touched down. When the ramp was lowered and its passengers disembarked, Maul was met by a group of Zabrak warriors, all armed with various energy melee weapons.

Maul recognized one of the warriors in the welcoming committee as the leader of the night brothers.

"Brother Viscus," Maul said before he gestured to Dooku, who was being escorted down the ramp by several mandalorians, "I give you our honored guest. Have the preparations been made?"

Viscus nodded.

"We are ready to proceed," he said before he stepped over to Dooku and leaned over to look at him with a face of visible disgust, "Come Count, we will take you to the heart of Mother's power, where you are about to answer for your master's crimes against the Nightsisters."

The Count said nothing before he was carted off to a point further into the village.

* * *

_Mother Talzin's chamber_.

In the heart of the Nightbrother village stood a temple. Inside that temple was a massive chamber, mostly dark from the lack of windows, and filthy due to years of neglect. A single light from a hole in the ceiling illuminated the room, allowing people to see. The room was seemingly empty, except for what looked to be a tombstone in the center of the room.

As Dooku was heavily guarded by his captors, Maul stood in front of the massive stone, which was taller than he was. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, before placing his hand on the stone, and began to pray.

"Great Mother, hear our prayer. Diviner of truth, deliverer of justice..." he said before a low humming sound emitted from the stone, and a green mist began to surround it. Maul then looked up at the tombstone, and saw an image of Mother Talzin slowly take form on the face of the stone. "...reveal yourself."

That's when green energy began to crackle around the mist, which spread throughout the room, engulfing everything it touched. Count Dooku flinched as the mist began to surround him, his ankles disappearing inside of the ground-covering fog.

"My son is right, Count," said a voice that seemed to emanate from the tombstone, "It is time to eliminate everything that gives Sidious power," Talzin said as streaks of green fog began to ensnare the Count. "...Beginning with you!"

The Count was suddenly enveloped by green lightning, which coarsed through his body with a terrible pain.

_"!NNGAAGH!_ "

* * *

_Nightbrother village, landing zone_.

Outside, a score of Nightbrothers rushed out to inspect a new ship that was touching down, close to the temple. They all readied their weapons and prepared for battle. When the ship's wings folded, a ramp extended from the spherical stern. For a moment, nothing happened, and all of the warriors looked at each other confused.

That's when two figures stepped off of the ship.

One was a cyborg skeleton with taloned metal feet.

The other, was a robed figure that had a hood obscuring the upper part of his face. When the warriors, sensing the danger the outsiders represented, raised their weapons, they were all suddenly levitated into the air. They all kicked and gagged, while the two newcomers casually walked by, ignoring the struggling, dying men around them.

When they stopped kicking, the invisible force that held them disappeared, causing them to drop down.

Once they reached the base of the temple, the cyborg skeleton used his metal feet to grasp onto the wall of the building, before he began to crawl up. Once he was level with the spot where Dooku's signal was coming from, he placed an explosive charge on the wall, and moved to the side a few feet, and waited for the bomb to go off.

* * *

_Talzin's chamber_.

Back in the chamber where Talzin's resurrection was taking place, green smoke began to role off of Dooku's body, as Talzin tortured him. Maul just looked down at the groaning Count, his eyes and voice lacking any sort of empathy whatsoever.

"You feel that, Count. Mother draws your very life force from your withered bones..." Maul mocked, as more green lightning began to surround Dooku, making him shout in further pain. "...draining you will give her all she needs to fully take form."

Brother Viscus stood next to Maul, looking down Dooku. "It won't be long now. He won't survive this."

"Good," Maul said, not caring at all. He then kneeled next to Dooku, as the torture continued. "As a Sith, you understand deception. Witches don't die so easily. Mother sacrificed much of her own power resurrecting me. That is why you've been unable to detect her. For her, a complete and permanent return to the physical realm requires great sacrifice." Maul said as Dooku began to levitate into the air, and green fog began to enter him through his nose and mouth, filling every fiber of his soul with Talzin's presence. "Through your blood, a new power will rise from the roots of Dathomir!"

Just after Darth Maul finished monologuing, a powerful explosion ripped through the wall behind him. As bodies and chunks of debris were thrown everywhere, Maul shielded his eyes to protects himself from the flaming debris.

He then looked up, and through the thick wall of smoke, a familiar cyborg, wearing a cape and holding two deactivated lightsabers hilts, stepped into the chamber, standing over the injured body of Brother Viscus.

"Blood is about to spill, all right..." Grievous said as he stomped his taloned foot into Viscus' head, smashing it into the ground with a series of crunching noises. He then began to grind his foot back and forth for good measure, "...yours!"

Darth Maul activated his Darksaber and assumed a fighting stance, as he stared the General down. "You're too late, General. Ours plans are in motion, and they cannot be stopped."

"No matter how many times you fail, you never learn this lesson, Maul..." said a new voice that Maul could not pinpoint. "...There is only one plan - one great design which shall govern the universe -" the figure said as he stepped out of the wall of smoke next to Grievous, revealing himself to be none other than Maul's old master, Darth Sidious. "...Mine."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Nightbrother, Maul's personal ship, in orbit above Dathomir_.

Back aboard the _Nightbrother_ , Rook Kast was standing before a pair of holograms, while holding her helmet under one of her arms, allowing her brown, shoulder-length hair to flow freely. The holograms that she was conversing with were of the other crime lords, Fife of the Pyke Syndicate, and Ziton Moj of Black Sun.

_"I'm telling you - a full armada of droid vessels just came out of nowhere and is laying siege to our defenses._ " Moj said, transmitting from one of Dathomir's moons.

" _It's happening here, too -_ " Fife said, transmitting from another part of the system. " _-It's like they were waiting for us. How could they've known we would be here?_ "

"Where is Maul? We should be dealing directly with him!" Ziton Moj demanded.

"Follow your orders. Hunker down and fight." Kast ordered assertively, clenched her fist as anger began to boil inside of her. "Lord Maul's location isn't your concern." She said dismissively.

The two crime lords were shocked, taken aback by the amount of disrespect that they were just dealt.

" _Not our concern?_ " Moj asked, clearly frustrated, " _If your forces aren't deployed to help us soon, our partnership is finished._ " He said as he waved his hand in a gesture that implied being wiped away.

But then Fife turned his holographic head towards his fellow crime lord. " _Now hold on - Black Sun has more than enough resources to defend itself. We're the ones who need support!_ "

As the two crime lords began to argue back and forth, Kast held her forehead and began to shake her head back and forth. That's when one of the _Nightbrother_ 's pilots turned around in his chair to look back at her. "Ma'am, we're picking up something big heading this way..." he said before his terminal began to blink and flash. He turned around to look at it again, "...A Separatist invasion fleet is approaching!"

Rook Kast looked up in surprise out the viewport, and saw that the pilot was indeed right. Dozens of Separatist warships shot out of hyperspace. The fleet was made up of Munificent-class Star frigates, landing craft, supply ships. There was even a pair of Lucrehulk-class battleships. But one of the ships caught her attention. It was a Providence-class dreadnought. It had the familiar markings of the _Invisible Hand_ , Grievous' flagship.

"Damnit!" She shouted as she banged her fist against the bulkhead.

"You see?" Fife asked, "We told you."

"What's the plan?" Moj asked, with a snarky tone.

"Grrrr!" Kast growled under her breath. "Fall back to our position. We will gather our forces and drive these Separatist sleemos out of the system."

Upon her orders, every Shadow Collective ship in the system pulled back to Dathomir's orbit, and formed a battle line in front of the oncoming Separatist fleet. The final showdown between Maul's forces and Sidious' followers had truly begun.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Night brother Village, Mother Talzin's chamber_.

Back in the temple at the center of the Nightbrother village, Darth Maul and his former master faced off, with their sabers activated. Grievous continued to stand at the hole in the wall that he made earlier, ready to assist Lord Sidious.

The body of Count Dooku laid behind them, green smoke still pouring off of his clothing.

"At last. The great deceiver comes to rescue his pawn." Darth Maul mocked, as he assumed an aggressive fighting stance.

Darth Sidious maintained his intimidating stance, showing that he was unamused by this entire spectacle. "I come to end this farce once and for all."

"You come to your doom, old man. Mother Talzin lives-" Maul said as Dooku began to wake up and stand up once again. He seemed normal. But when he turned to face Darth Sidious, it was shown that his eyes were glowing a bright green and his veins pulsated with a similar color, showing that he was possessed, "-And your apprentice is under her _full_ control."

When possessed Dooku activated his red lightsaber, he spoke in Mother Talzin's voice. "Now Sidious . . . you will pay for your betrayal."

She hissed before she lunged towards Sidious, using Dooku's lightsaber to strike against the Dark Lord. While this was happening, Darth Maul was charging towards General Grievous, who activated two blue and green sabers to meet Maul in battle.

Soon, all four combatants were fighting back and forth across the chamber, using their skills to block, parry, and thrust, fighting for the future of the their respective factions.

Darth Maul was on the offensive, slashing his blade to the left ad right, trying to keep Grievous on the defensive. But the General was fast, and avoided or blocked all of his strikes, before launching a vicious counterattack.

Meanwhile, a possessed Dooku was caught in a saber lock with Darth Sidious. It seemed like a stalemate, but Sidious smiled, twirling his blade around, and forcing it to fly out of puppet Dooku's hands. "You control my apprentice's body, but possess none of his skills," he said to the stunned witch, before he drew his hand back, which crackled with Sith lightning, "Release my apprentice, haggard witch!" He ordered before unleashing a powerful arc of lightning that enveloped puppet Dooku with searing pain.

"AAAAAAAAGGHHH!"

Maul and Grievous stopped their fight in order to take a look at the fight. Maul's face convulsed with anger, as he watched his mother be put through pain at the hands of his former master. The cyborg, on the other hand, was surprised and didn't know what to think, seeing as how Talzin was being hurt, but so was Dooku.

"AAAGH! AAAGHHH!" Talzin continued to scream as her possession was continually electrocuted. "EEEE-NOUGH!" She shouted before green mist began to escape from Dooku's body, and began to take the form of the real Mother Talzin.

"I am whole! I am returned!" She exclaimed triumphantly as green energy began to crackle around her wrists.

Sidious deactivated his lightsaber and looked at her. "You are about to die." He declared callously.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Nightbrother, Maul's personal ship, in orbit above Dathomir_.

High above Dathomir, the full might of the Confederate Navy was being brought down upon the Shadow Collective.

Makeshift, obsolete starfighter from the black market, and rusty old frieighters went toe to toe with the black, bug-like hulls of the Separatists. Warships hammered away at each other, while fighters swarmed over each other.

The Shadow Collective put up a good fight, firing their blaster weaponry at the Separatist ships, wittling down their shields, before Mandalorian bombers rushed in and carpet bombed their unshielded exteriors, causing dozens of large explosions to blossom across the Confederate hulls.

This tactic worked for a short while, and allowed Maul's forces to score five kills on the Separatist, not counting the occasional transport kill.

But that was the best that they could do.

The Separatist navy took all the damage they were dealt, and threw it back ten times harder. Their heavy turbolasers threw up a wall of flak that shook the hell out of the approaching enemy fighters, even downing a few of them. The droid fighters swarmed over the enemy, ripping them apart. And the heavy separatist firepower was ripping through the assembled warships like paper. Shields went down in a few shots, before ships were ripped apart like gas canisters, and very few escape pods were ever launched.

Since the Shadow Collective fleet was becoming less and less of a nuisance, dozens of Separatist landing craft were already flying towards the surface, deploying tens of thousands of battle droids, tanks, and speeders. The largest concentration of droid landing craft headed for the Nightbrother village, which showed the last known co-ordinates of their master, Count Dooku.

As the Separatists slowly took over the planet mile by mile, things were rapidly becoming much worse for the Shadow Collective. But not due to their battlefield capabilities, but because of the disunity that their leadership suffered.

" _Forget this -we've lost too many ships! Tell Maul he's on his own!_ " Fife's hologram said to Rook Kast.

" _This endeavor has become a_ _ **massive**_ _liability. Black Sun is finished here, as well_." Ziton Moj added.

Kast looked at the two crime bosses with disbelief and disgust written all over her face as she looked side to side between them. "This isn't what we agreed!" She exclaimed.

" _ **You're**_ _the warrior. We're mercenaries-_ " Fife pointed out. _"-And there is no profit in this fight._ "

Kast's face convulsed with anger before she exploded. "If you abandon your posts, I will hunt you down and kill you myself!" she threatened, half cleching her hand in a gesture that said she wanted to strangle them.

But both crime leaders were unfazed by the threat.

"Assuming you survive the day," Ziton Moj said before his and Fife's holograms disappeared.

Moments later, the mercenary fleet began to break ranks and flee into hyperspace. Kast slammed her fist against a wall when the weight of this betrayal weighed on her. That's when one of the pilots walked up to her with a report.

"Ma'am, The system is falling to the Confederacy. They've just started landing. A massive droid army is bearing down on Lord Maul's position as we speak. Commander Saxon is ordering all forces to retreat to Mandalore. But first, he wants us to pick upLord Maul." The trooper reported.

Kast looked out the viewport. All she saw were Separatist warships pounding the surface and landing droids. Meanwhile, all that was left of the Shadow Collective had either fled or been reduced to a debris field.

"Take us Lord Maul's position. We have to get him out of here." The trooper saluted, before he took the pilot's seat again, and accelerated the _Nightbrother_ , followed by two escorts, to the surface, racing against the droid army that was converging on Maul's position.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

_Night brother Village, Mother Talzin's chamber_.

Maul and Grievous continued to duel one another with ferocity. When the General divided his arms, he reached for another pair of lightsabers. Pointing all of them towards Maul, he lunged forward to try and thrust them through Maul's torso. But Maul raised his Darksaber in time, miraculously blocking all four blades at the same time. But the blow pushed him back and knocked him off of his feet.

Grievous laughed maniacally, before spinning two of his blades in front of him before he marched towards Maul, slicing the floor apart with his spinning sabers. But before Maul could be turned into a diced entree, he managed to summon a force push that was aimed at Grievous

"UHN!" The General exclaimed before he was sent flying out of the hole in the side of the building.

Maul rushed up to the hole and looked down, only to see that he couldn't spot Grievous in the smoke below, caused by fires from the distant, but advancing, droid army.

"Good riddance, mechanical trash." He said before he turned back to assist his mother.

Talzin and Darth Sidious unleashing their full power on one another. Talzin's been lightning and Sidious' blue were unleashed, before connecting in the center, causing a blue-green glow to illuminate the chamber.

"How long i have waited for this!" Talzin said.

"Yes, your rush to oblivion has nearly reached its end." Sidious shot back.

Neither combatant seemed willing to back down, as they continued to strike each other with all the power that they could muster. But unbeknownst to either of them, Dooku was finally waking up from the painful ordeal that he was put through.

He summoned his blade with the force and limped over to his master's side, clutching his side, before raising his hand to unleash an arc of lightning that bolstered his master's attack, and increasing the strain on Mother Talzin's abilities.

Maul was right behind his Mother, and could feel the energy crackling around her struggling defenses. "Fight, Mother! Fight!" He urged on.

As as of this was happening, Grievous had climbed back up the side of the building, and stepped through the hole, watching the whole battle take place. He then stalked over to the side of his masters, waiting for just the right moment to strike.

* * *

A trio of Mandalorian Gauntlet fighters, the Nightbrother among them, flew down from the battle up in orbit, and flew over what looked to be a massive battle.

No. It was a slaughter. The droid army was cutting a swath of destruction across the planet, burning every settlement that was on the surface. The nightbrothers did their best to must a defense, but it was no use.

Soon, their main village was under attack.

One of the Mandalorian ships were shot down by the droid forces on the ground, before the other two reached the temple that maul was last seen entering. The _Nightbrother_ hovered in front of a hole in the wall, and lowered the ramp.

Rook Kast and two warriors went down the ramp, looked through the hole, and saw what looked to be a light show, and ended up watching Lord Maul, standing behind an red-cloaked woman, who was absorbing the lightning strikes of two men, one of whom was Count Dooku.

Kast cupped her hands over her mouth and called out to Lord Maul over the sound of the engines. "Lord Maul! Dathomir is lost! We must retreat!" She said, as the other Mandalorian ship escorting the _Nightbrother_ , moved to engage a pair of advancing droid gunships, only to be shot down, but not before taking one of them with it.

Maul looked over. Before he could answer, his own Mother did so for him.

"Go, my son," she urged.

He turned around and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We can escape together!" He said.

"Not this time. If I lower my defenses, you will die." She said.

As if on queue, General Grievous slowly walked over to Talzin and Maul's position. Realizing this, Talzin used her powers to launch Maul away from her. He then flew out of the hole in the wall, and onto the ramp, where his followers each grabbed a hold of him, and struggled to bring him aboard.

"Mother!" He called out.

"We must run, Lord Maul! If we die, everything is lost!" One of the warriors exclaimed, as he and his comrades continued to contain Maul.

"Let go of me!" Maul shouted.

He then looked back inside the temple, and saw that Talzin had collapsed to her knees, expending all her energy to throw him out of the building while holding off the Sith. That's when Grievous stepped through the wall of energy that Talzin continued to keep up.

He activated both of his lightsabers. "It's time."

As Mother closed her eyes and lowered her head, she knew that her time had come.

"Mother! NO-" Maul called out

"HCK!" Talzin exclaimed, when Grievous plunged both of his blades through her chest, piercing and cooking her heart. Moments later, all the life and color drained from her body, as her life force was removed. Then he skin began to crackle, before she finally collapsed onto the ground.

The Nightsister Mother were now truly gone, as was any hope for Dathomir's natives.

"No! NO!" Maul shouted out, before his followers carried him onto the ship, and closed the ramp, allowing the _Nightbrother_ to blast off from the village, and make for orbit, leaving Dathomir behind.

* * *

Back inside the temple, Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, and General Grievous all stood over the witch Talzin's corpse, which was turned to stone, and emitted a green mist as what remained of her magick and life force left her body.

"That witch never learned - there are those with power, and those who dream of power..." Sidious said, "...and her existence was nothing but a dream."

"My lord, forgive me-" Dooku said as he kneeled in front of Sidious, and bowed his head. "Maul has once again slipped through my grasp."

Darth Sidious looked down at his apprentice and shook his head.

"No, Count - everything happened as foreseen," the Dark Lord said, "This was a difficult piece to maneuver, but now it is in place. Empress Acina, Mother Talzin, and now Maul's futures, have all been erased..." Sidious said, as he looked out over the horizon.

He watched as droid vessels pounded faraway settlements, and deployed droid to the surface, which marched through the burning village around them, killing off the remaining inhabitants.

"...While ours is more certain than it has ever been."

**The End.**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was it folks.
> 
> Hope that you all enjoyed this story, and the elements of canon and fan-fiction that I put together.
> 
> The next story in this series of works, that I will be putting together will focus on Ahsoka.
> 
> Anyway, until next time as always, this is Grubkiller, over an out.

**Author's Note:**

> Well folks, that was part 1 of the 'Clash of the Sith Lords' act.
> 
> The next chapter will be up soon, so keep an eye out for it.
> 
> Until next time as always, this is Grubkiller, over and out.


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